DEFENCE

Armed Forces Pensions

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what pension entitlements are available for members of (a) the reserve forces and (b) the regular forces; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: Pension entitlement for reservists is determined by the type of Reserve Service undertaken. Members entering Full-Time Reserve Service (FTRS), and those undertaking part-time reserve service on an Additional Duties Commitment (ADC), may be entitled to pension benefits under the reservists' section of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. Members of the Volunteer Reserve Forces are not entitled to membership of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme, except when they are called-out or mobilised for permanent service; in these circumstances, the Department will alternatively, if they so wish, pay the employer contribution to their civilian pension arrangement. Members of the regular forces are entitled to membership of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. All members of the armed forces, whether regular, FTRS, ADC or volunteer reserve, may be entitled to benefits for an injury, illness or death that is due to military service; in these circumstances, arrangements are designed to provide that there is, at least, a broadly comparable level of benefit.

Breast Implants

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department of providing female soldiers with breast implants was in each of the last five years.

Ivor Caplin: The numbers of breast implant operations undertaken on female Service personnel, in Ministry of Defence Hospital Units, in each of the last five calendar years is detailed in the table.
	
		
			  Number of operations undertaken 
		
		
			 1999 7 
			 2000 7 
			 2001 6 
			 2002 16 
			 2003 4 
		
	
	The costs of providing each operation was not recorded separately. Such operations would be carried out for clinical reasons, such as breast reconstruction following accident or cancer treatment, and not for purely cosmetic reasons.
	The numbers and costs of female Service personnel receiving breast implants in the NHS but outside of MOD Hospital Unit arrangements are not held centrally.

Cadet Forces

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department will spend in 2003–04 on cadet forces; and what percentage of the overall budget of his Department that represents.

Ivor Caplin: The funding for the financial year 2003–04 is £80.5 million. This is less than one per cent. of the overall defence budget.

Cadet Forces

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department will spend in 2003–04 in wages for those that help out with the cadet forces; and what percentage of the overall budget of his Department that represented.

Ivor Caplin: The funding for financial year 2003–04 is £36 million. This is less than one per cent. of the overall budget.

Cadet Forces

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has ever ceased to offer payment to those that assist in running the cadet forces.

Ivor Caplin: This information is not held centrally, but indications are that any cases for ceasing to offer payment are few and would have been sanctioned for sound reasons in accordance with appropriate regulations.

Call Centres

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department plans to outsource call centre work to premises outside the United Kingdom.

Ivor Caplin: The Defence Communication Services Agency manages the provision of a substantial portion of call-centre type services across the Ministry of Defence and has no plans to outsource call centre premises outside the United Kingdom.
	There are some small helpdesk facilities operated within Ministry of Defence establishments in Cyprus, Germany and the Falkland Islands; these are all managed from the UK.

Defence White Paper

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to publish the Defence White Paper.

Geoff Hoon: As I said in the Defence Policy Debate on 16 October 2003, Official Report, column 275, I intend to publish a Defence White Paper later this year.

Ministry of Defence Police

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 11 September 2003, Official Report, column 375W, on military police, when the last formal inspection by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary into the MOD police investigation branch and CID was carried out; and if he will give a copy of the report to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South.

Ivor Caplin: The last formal inspection of the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) took place in late 2001-early 2002. The inspection process included the work of the MDP Criminal Investigation Department. The report was published in April 2002.
	I will send the hon. Member a copy of the HMIC Report and place a copy in the Library of the House.

Overseas Facilities

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list his Department's permanent facilities overseas, what the cost was in each of the last five years, of maintaining each of them, to what use each facility is put; what the estimated value of each facility is; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Parliamentary Questions

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will answer the question tabled by the hon. Member for East Carmarthen and Dinefwr, on 15 September 2003, reference 129531.

Geoff Hoon: I replied to the hon. Member on 27 October 2003, Official Report, column 6W.

Recruitment

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 10 September 2003, Official Report, column 754W, on recruitment, if he will list the monthly recruitment numbers from January 1997 to January 2003 for (a) each of the recruitment posts in Scotland, (b) England as a whole, (c) Wales as a whole and (d) Northern Ireland as a whole; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The numbers of other rank enlistments for all three Services in each month from April 1997 to December 2002 are detailed in the following tables. Figures prior to April 1997 are not held centrally. Statistics for officer recruitment are not broken down by region.
	
		1997
		
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 
		
		
			 RN/RM 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen n/a n/a n/a 5 2 1 6 0 7 1 5 2 
			 Dundee n/a n/a n/a 4 1 3 6 0 7 4 6 5 
			 Edinburgh n/a n/a n/a 10 2 6 4 0 12 9 4 3 
			 Glasgow n/a n/a n/a 14 4 8 16 0 21 21 24 10 
			 Inverness n/a n/a n/a 5 1 5 11 0 10 4 2 1 
			 England n/a n/a n/a 281 188 258 300 4 596 421 355 124 
			 Wales n/a n/a n/a 21 11 18 19 0 40 25 30 8 
			 N Ireland n/a n/a n/a 3 2 6 4 0 7 2 5 3 
			  
			 ARMY 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen n/a n/a n/a 10 6 15 4 9 10 7 3 3 
			 Dundee n/a n/a n/a 15 23 22 15 23 47 30 21 17 
			 Edinburgh n/a n/a n/a 33 28 21 9 22 16 20 18 16 
			 Glasgow n/a n/a n/a 67 82 49 44 79 76 74 80 35 
			 Inverness n/a n/a n/a 2 13 9 7 8 14 10 14 5 
			 England n/a n/a n/a 715 938 834 606 1,054 970 1,056 1,007 649 
			 Wales n/a n/a n/a 109 71 86 62 83 60 113 76 26 
			 N Ireland n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  
			 RAF 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen n/a n/a n/a 6 5 1 1 2 3 2 3 1 
			 Dundee n/a n/a n/a 9 3 2 11 4 4 4 10 2 
			 Edinburgh n/a n/a n/a 4 4 2 8 5 4 4 7 3 
			 Glasgow n/a n/a n/a 7 8 7 6 3 22 8 9 5 
			 Inverness n/a n/a n/a 8 4 6 2 1 4 1 6 1 
			 England n/a n/a n/a 231 239 131 232 167 266 164 290 89 
			 Wales n/a n/a n/a 27 28 15 31 20 27 21 18 9 
			 N Ireland n/a n/a n/a 7 7 3 9 3 9 5 9 3 
		
	
	
		1998
		
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 
		
		
			 RN/RM 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 4 3 4 3 2 4 1 2 3 3 10 0 
			 Dundee 4 0 2 7 1 4 3 2 2 3 1 2 
			 Edinburgh 14 19 10 3 15 15 5 2 15 16 15 0 
			 Glasgow 20 15 13 9 18 29 12 4 19 15 23 1 
			 Inverness 5 5 6 1 2 6 3 2 2 4 8 0 
			 England 445 394 459 173 310 366 290 182 419 432 520 18 
			 Wales 39 21 36 13 24 18 26 8 25 25 50 1 
			 N Ireland 8 9 7 1 21 9 8 5 8 12 6 0 
			  
			 Army 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 15 7 6 3 16 9 9 6 15 2 7 1 
			 Dundee 50 36 25 17 32 26 14 38 44 26 34 8 
			 Edinburgh 42 17 21 19 40 14 24 38 59 17 25 18 
			 Glasgow 139 69 102 46 103 46 74 82 151 66 116 22 
			 Inverness 20 9 11 8 17 8 6 10 26 9 7 2 
			 England 1,213 1,084 828 754 1,146 759 900 1,118 1,795 985 1,214 353 
			 Wales 118 80 62 79 103 53 90 87 86 100 101 31 
			 N Ireland n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  
			 RAF 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 8 5 10 2 2 4 6 1 1 4 1 6 
			 Dundee 5 8 10 5 7 2 11 1 4 3 5 2 
			 Edinburgh 3 3 3 3 6 2 8 5 4 6 3 2 
			 Glasgow 15 9 16 12 12 13 21 6 4 19 12 9 
			 Inverness 4 5 4 3 7 2 4 5 5 7 8 4 
			 England 289 180 256 246 269 176 289 106 275 321 283 172 
			 Wales 22 9 21 19 20 23 88 18 36 20 36 14 
			 N Ireland 2 9 5 15 9 6 6 2 3 8 5 9 
		
	
	
		1999
		
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 
		
		
			 RN/RM 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 3 5 5 1 3 4 3 1 5 4 9 0 
			 Dundee 5 5 5 3 3 4 3 2 6 0 8 0 
			 Edinburgh 21 14 12 4 20 15 9 5 17 12 20 2 
			 Glasgow 30 19 20 29 18 17 11 6 20 21 23 2 
			 Inverness 4 6 5 0 4 2 7 0 8 6 4 0 
			 England 434 361 320 282 430 328 337 125 462 364 526 56 
			 Wales 26 30 30 20 24 19 28 15 23 31 25 8 
			 N Ireland 9 2 6 13 5 1 9 1 8 8 9 0 
			  
			 Army 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 15 10 7 6 16 6 3 13 25 9 6 3 
			 Dundee 57 20 25 38 46 26 19 27 35 22 25 14 
			 Edinburgh 36 13 26 17 28 25 20 39 45 10 11 13 
			 Glasgow 122 61 76 84 118 63 40 73 91 56 58 50 
			 Inverness 14 5 12 8 15 7 3 4 25 10 5 4 
			 England 1,607 887 783 741 1,168 723 689 884 1,610 778 1,262 443 
			 Wales 122 62 61 54 100 68 89 117 115 74 108 43 
			 N Ireland n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1 1 
			  
			 RAF 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 6 6 0 1 7 7 5 0 6 3 3 2 
			 Dundee 5 6 6 8 5 5 6 2 5 6 6 6 
			 Edinburgh 1 3 13 6 3 10 9 2 8 15 7 4 
			 Glasgow 11 16 13 10 10 16 15 5 19 14 10 12 
			 Inverness 3 7 1 3 5 4 5 1 7 7 4 8 
			 England 235 246 238 205 168 280 263 151 250 303 197 167 
			 Wales 22 21 20 15 13 16 31 9 25 32 15 23 
			 N Ireland 13 16 6 5 11 12 14 2 11 13 10 8 
		
	
	
		2000
		
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 
		
		
			 RN/RM 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 2 6 3 1 4 4 4 0 3 5 8 2 
			 Dundee 3 6 6 1 6 5 4 1 3 8 3 1 
			 Edinburgh 4 18 12 4 17 17 12 3 14 18 24 4 
			 Glasgow 15 17 18 5 15 14 14 1 14 13 22 6 
			 Inverness 3 2 2 2 3 1 8 0 2 5 3 1 
			 England 331 352 391 65 417 313 354 1 385 481 346 126 
			 Wales 27 18 34 3 20 21 25 0 26 32 28 9 
			 N Ireland 6 5 9 0 16 5 8 0 5 10 6 2 
			 Army 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 23 11 2 3 12 2 13 7 22 9 6 2 
			 Dundee 40 36 19 9 23 19 19 10 51 30 22 9 
			 Edinburgh 39 23 14 5 9 5 22 3 55 25 10 1 
			 Glasgow 120 73 42 35 70 34 51 45 130 58 45 16 
			 Inverness 17 16 5 6 4 3 11 6 30 11 8 3 
			 England 1,626 933 810 387 886 533 834 685 1,814 1,115 763 429 
			 Wales 128 106 74 30 79 76 58 78 128 106 49 56 
			 N Ireland 2 1 6 16 9 14 11 31 54 18 6 29 
			  
			 RAF 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 7 3 1 7 5 3 4 2 5 4 5 1 
			 Dundee 6 4 7 3 6 7 3 3 12 7 14 4 
			 Edinburgh 11 6 9 7 3 2 3 9 6 0 14 1 
			 Glasgow 19 7 25 13 11 10 13 9 22 3 15 3 
			 Inverness 3 3 4 3 5 2 5 4 5 2 2 1 
			 England 316 114 321 166 234 166 210 156 328 105 344 71 
			 Wales 50 18 35 13 26 27 21 26 23 12 40 22 
			 N Ireland 9 8 22 9 3 9 6 6 12 5 16 2 
		
	
	
		2001
		
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 
		
		
			 RN/RM 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 7 3 7 0 4 6 6 0 6 11 9 0 
			 Dundee 2 0 3 0 0 0 8 0 2 6 5 2 
			 Edinburgh 11 11 28 3 13 16 15 0 16 25 23 6 
			 Glasgow 16 16 24 7 8 14 16 0 18 20 16 8 
			 Inverness 6 2 4 0 2 3 4 0 2 5 5 0 
			 England 335 349 333 95 362 322 433 3 416 541 403 139 
			 Wales 28 29 38 6 22 28 27 0 38 39 25 7 
			 N Ireland 7 8 7 2 11 2 3 0 4 12 7 4 
			  
			 Army 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 12 6 8 1 5 3 3 2 11 7 11 2 
			 Dundee 59 10 21 12 17 10 23 14 42 29 14 8 
			 Edinburgh 47 7 21 10 21 12 11 14 42 28 8 19 
			 Glasgow 175 25 44 29 67 31 55 55 123 83 61 23 
			 Inverness 30 5 8 1 12 0 6 3 21 16 7 3 
			 England 1,600 751 847 587 783 570 765 706 2,061 913 752 428 
			 Wales 133 84 84 77 75 54 85 73 155 87 66 25 
			 N Ireland 14 18 20 15 9 10 14 13 42 10 1 24 
			  
			 RAF 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 5 2 0 2 3 3 1 4 1 7 2 2 
			 Dundee 10 0 6 1 7 7 2 5 6 8 2 12 
			 Edinburgh 14 4 5 5 5 3 7 4 7 5 5 3 
			 Glasgow 1 13 2 2 16 13 13 7 17 5 12 14 
			 Inverness 6 4 3 3 7 4 6 6 4 1 6 3 
			 England 335 161 138 242 208 185 221 205 211 350 239 159 
			 Wales 41 22 11 30 27 27 34 29 21 30 27 22 
			 N Ireland 11 4 5 8 4 3 7 10 12 3 8 5 
		
	
	
		2002
		
			  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 
		
		
			 RN/RM 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 8 12 3 2 7 4 1 1 1 0 6 3 
			 Dundee 4 5 3 2 7 6 8 2 5 0 4 4 
			 Edinburgh 14 8 7 13 14 16 12 5 21 0 11 4 
			 Glasgow 8 18 7 7 11 7 10 0 11 0 15 11 
			 Inverness 9 6 3 1 1 6 5 0 3 0 5 1 
			 England 404 367 287 252 316 341 363 45 477 181 350 217 
			 Wales 44 28 15 24 21 26 23 3 32 15 23 6 
			 N Ireland 3 8 10 3 3 4 2 1 13 0 7 8 
			 Army 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 11 5 6 3 4 2 9 12 24 4 5 3 
			 Dundee 42 14 31 8 13 8 20 18 61 9 14 8 
			 Edinburgh 63 17 24 21 30 17 20 29 75 16 15 4 
			 Glasgow 130 53 67 58 49 61 93 91 130 40 53 15 
			 Inverness 17 1 4 3 5 4 5 11 23 4 4 4 
			 England 1,648 753 831 679 662 633 875 1,004 2,460 668 820 414 
			 Wales 164 65 98 47 54 43 66 60 143 49 44 22 
			 N Ireland 12 8 25 8 5 8 21 35 16 48 10 53 
			  
			 RAF 
			 Scotland: 
			 Aberdeen 8 2 2 2 4 2 6 3 6 6 2 0 
			 Dundee 6 1 5 5 8 5 6 8 5 11 11 7 
			 Edinburgh 5 6 5 5 3 3 11 4 10 10 6 1 
			 Glasgow 6 13 0 12 17 9 30 6 12 26 14 6 
			 Inverness 2 2 4 2 6 0 9 8 6 10 5 6 
			 England 270 147 175 157 240 158 344 248 215 358 268 142 
			 Wales 35 26 24 17 37 25 36 34 22 51 21 12 
			 N Ireland 7 8 8 5 5 3 9 3 1 7 4 1

Service Accommodation

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many properties were contained in his Department's married quarters estate on 1 October; and how many are held by his Department in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) overseas.

Ivor Caplin: Figures for Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in mainland United Kingdom are currently only available as at 30 September 2003 and are shown as follows.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 England 45,207 
			 Scotland 4,238 
			 Wales 1,118 
			 Total 50,563 
		
	
	Figures for SFA elsewhere are currently only available as at 1 April 2003, as shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 HQNI 3,180 
			 Germany 14,479 
			 Cyprus 2,330 
			 Falkland Islands 55 
			 Gibraltar 576 
			 PTC(1) 1,040 
			 Total 21,660 
		
	
	(1) PTC (Personnel Training Command): includes Ramstein, Brunssum, Izmir, Naples, Lisbon and Stavanger.

Service Accommodation

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many units within the married quarters estate are in (a) Standard 1 condition, (b) Standard 2 condition, (c) Standard 3 condition and (d) Standard 4 condition;
	(2)  how many service personnel are housed in (a) Standard 3 and (b) Standard 4 properties within his Department's married quarters estate; and what plans he has to reduce this number.

Ivor Caplin: The total number of houses in mainland United Kingdom that have been assessed for condition (more than 98 per cent. of stock) at the four standards for condition were categorised as below as at 17 October 2003.
	
		
			 Standard Total number 
		
		
			 1 23,413 
			 2 22,692 
			 3 3,502 
			 4 179 
		
	
	Properties currently at the lower two standards will be the first to be targeted for disposals as demand falls over the next few years.
	Figures for the number of houses from within the Standards 3 and 4 that are currently occupied are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Service Accommodation

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many units within his Department's married quarters estate have been upgraded in each of the last five years; and what proportion of these were upgrades to the entire estate.

Ivor Caplin: The number of houses brought up to Standard 1 for Condition in mainland United Kingdom in each of the past five financial years was:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1998–99 (2)— 
			 1999–2000 1,308 
			 2000–01 2,733 
			 2001–02 3,340 
			 2002–03 1,440 
		
	
	(2) Figures not collected at that time
	None of these years includes an instance where the entirety of any one estate was brought up to Standard 1. A number of estates are now fully at Standard 1 but these have been addressed in phases, over a number of years, to minimise disruption to both occupants and Service operational requirements. Currently, just over 50 per cent. of the core stock is at Standard 1 and over 90 per cent. of families are in properties at either Standard 1 or 2.

Service Accommodation

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to publish the conclusions of his Department's Business Process Review of the Management and Delivery of Defence Housing; and if he will list those consulted in this review.

Ivor Caplin: I expect the Business Process Review of the Management and Delivery of Defence Housing to be published in the spring of 2004. A copy of the report will be placed in the Library of the House. To date, a wide range of stakeholders have been consulted including those involved in the delivery of Defence housing, their customers, other Government Departments, the trade unions and relevant bodies in the private sector. The final report will contain a full list of those consulted.

Service Accommodation

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's married quarters were empty as at 30 September; and what proportion of this represents his Department's management margin required for managing change.

Ivor Caplin: At the end of September there were some 8,500 empty married properties in mainland UK. Of these:
	Over 1,500 are held for future deployments
	Some 900 are in the course of disposal during 2003–04 with additional properties identified as non-core and for disposal in 2004–05
	Some 550 are empty undergoing or awaiting modernisation
	The remainder are available to let or are already allocated or under offer to incoming families.
	The Defence Housing Executive's management margin for managing change requires an on-going continuous review to ensure delivery of homes to Service families. As at 31 March 2003, the management margin (i.e. the proportion of working stock vacant) was 13.6 per cent. The DHE's long term target is to reduce this to no more than 10 per cent. by financial year 2005–06.

Service Accommodation

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what his Department's disposal targets are for married quarters estate stock in each of the next five years;
	(2)  what his Department's targets are for reducing the void rate levels in the married quarters estate; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: Targets set for the Defence Housing Executive (DHE) are not expressed in terms of numbers of houses for disposal but as the progressive reduction of void rates in order to achieve, by 2005–06, a management margin of 10 per cent. (the management margin is the proportion of vacant working stock required to manage change).
	Some 12,000 properties have been released by DHE for disposal since January 2000. In addition, over 900 properties are expected to be released during 2003–04. To maintain progress towards the long term target of 10 per cent., a greater number of disposals is likely to be needed during 2004–05, and in subsequent years, depending on demand.

Reserve Forces

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will bring forward revisions to the Reserve Forces Call-out and Recall (Financial Assistance) Regulations 1997, S.I., 1997, No. 309.

Ivor Caplin: Work on revising SI 1997/309 (The Reserve Forces (Call-out and Recall) (Financial Assistance) Regulations is ongoing, and when it is concluded, I will make an announcement in the House. A consultation paper with proposals for revising the financial assistance available to reservists under SI 309/97 when called out into permanent service will be available at the earliest opportunity.

Vaccines

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice the Deputy Chief Medical Officer gave on administering pertussis vaccine together with anthrax vaccine to service personnel prior to the 1991 Gulf War.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the Ministry of Defence paper: "Background to the use of Medical Countermeasures to Protect British Forces During the Gulf War (Operation GRANBY)" dated October 1997, a copy of which is in the Library of the House and available on the Internet at: http://www.mod.uk/issues/gulfwar/info/medical/mcm.htm, and to my noble Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement's written answer of 9 October 2003, Official Report, House of Lords, c. WA70.

Vaccines

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which vaccines administered to Service personnel prior to the 1991 Gulf War were not licensed for use in the United Kingdom; and what reports he has received that vaccines were not given in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Ivor Caplin: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Vaccines

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to have a public inquiry into the use of vaccines by the Department prior to the 1991 Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The Government are not convinced that such a public inquiry would help answer the basic question of why some Gulf veterans are ill. We have not ruled out the possibility that we may look at this again if circumstances were to change, but in the present circumstances, it is only through the programme of independent scientific and medical research initiated by the Government that we are ever likely to be able to establish the causes of Gulf veterans' illnesses.

HEALTH

Local Government Finance

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the transfers into and out of formula spending share for 2004–05, and grants which are due to cease at the end of 2003–04; and whether his Department plans consequently to adjust the baseline calculation for floors and ceilings.

Nick Raynsford: I have been asked to reply.
	The Secretary of State for Health intends to end three special grants in 2003–04: Deferred Payments (£40 million), Performance Fund (£96 million) and Care Direct (£2.2 million). No other transfers are planned at this stage, although the situation will not be finalised until the provisional local government financial settlement. In each case, the Government are considering whether to adjust authorities' baselines for Formula Grant and for Formula Spending Shares.

Social Care

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget for social services in Lancashire was in each year since 1992.

Melanie Johnson: The table shows the personal social services (PSS) budget figures for Lancashire county council, for each year since 1992–93. The figures include children's services.
	
		Social services budgets—Lancashire county council—1992–93 to 2003–04 -- £ million
		
			  PSS budget 
		
		
			 1992–93 132,406 
			 1993–94 156,288 
			 1994–95 182,308 
			 1995–96 200,193 
			 1996–97 216,873 
			 1997–98 231,046 
			 1998–99 191,062 
			 1999–2000 199,798 
			 2000–01 216,811 
			 2001–02 231,741 
			 2002–03 262,069 
			 2003–04 289,932

Acetylcysteine

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of Acetylcysteine on the NHS.

Melanie Johnson: Acetylcysteine is available on the national health service as a prescription only medicine.

Cancer Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to improve waiting times from referral by a GP to treatment for cancer services.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 27 October 2003
	The NHS Cancer Plan sets out our strategy to reduce waiting times for cancer patients. A two-week outpatient waiting time standard was introduced in 2000 for all urgent general practitioner referrals of suspected cancer. In the last quarter—April to June 2003—98.5 per cent. of urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer were seen by a specialist within two weeks. By 2005, there will be targets of a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment and a maximum two month wait from urgent GP referral to treatment for all cancers. Progress towards these targets is being achieved through increased investment, additional staffing levels, installing new radiotherapy and diagnostic facilities and streamlining care processes through the cancer services collaborative.

Cannabis

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the relationship between the incidence of psychosis and cannabis use.

Melanie Johnson: The Department monitors research into the effects cannabis has on mental health on a continuous basis. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) published a report in March 2002—"The classification of cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971"—in which it described the range of harms caused by cannabis, including its known effects on mental health. There has been a lot of debate about the use of cannabis and whether it can lead to mental illness, especially schizophrenia. No clear causal link has been proven for the latter, although recent epidemiological research has shown a stronger association than previously evident. Cannabis use can unquestionably worsen existing schizophrenia (and other mental illnesses) and lead to relapse in some patients.
	In addition, on 29 September 2003, the Department published "Dangerousness of Drugs—a Guide to the Risks and Harms associated with Substance Misuse", which outlines the chronic and acute problems associated with a range of licit and illicit substances commonly used in the United Kingdom, including cannabis.

Chronic Diseases

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into the proportion of health spending which will be needed for chronic diseases over the next 50 years.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department has not commissioned its own research into this. There is a growing body of research and evidence that highlights the increasing significance of chronic illness. The Department has work in progress looking at the future burden of diseases, including chronic illness, and exploring the implications for services and patients.

Community Health Councils

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the number of staff employed in community health councils in England at risk of redundancy; and what the potential liability for redundancy costs is.

Rosie Winterton: We estimate that 380 staff of community health councils will be made redundant. The cost of redundancy is estimated at £12 million.

Dentistry

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many dentists were accepting national health service patients in (a) Stroud, (b) Gloucestershire and (c) England in (i) 1990, (ii) 1997 and (iii) the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many dentists in (a) Stroud and (b) Gloucestershire accept (i) national health service patients and (ii) only children as NHS patients; and how many are registered as private practices.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the number of practices providing general dental services (GDS) in England, Gloucestershire and Cotswold and Vale Primary Care Trust, which covers Stroud, at August 1990, August 1997 and August 2003.
	These figures exclude salaried dentists working in the general dental service, dentists working in community dental services, personal dental services and hospital dental services and dentists who do no national health service work. Information is not collected centrally on the number of dentists who practice solely privately but it is thought that the number of such dentists is around 2 per cent.
	
		General dental service: number of dental practices at 31 August each year
		
			 Area 1990 (3)1997 (4)2003 
		
		
			 England 8,547 8,303 8,623 
			  — — — 
			 Family Health Service Authority — — — 
			 Gloucestershire 97 — — 
			  — — — 
			 Health Authority — — — 
			 Gloucestershire — 109 — 
			  — — — 
			 Primary Care Trust — — — 
			 South Gloucestershire — — 30 
			 Cheltenham and Tewkesbury — — 34 
			 West Gloucestershire — — 31 
			 Cotswold and Vale — — 36 
		
	
	(3) Following the move from family health service authority (FHSAs) to health authority (HAs) in 1996, results were published by HA rather than by FHSA.
	(4) Following the move from health authority (HAs) to primary care trusts (PCTs) in 2001, results were published by strategic health authority (SHA) and PCT rather than by region and HA
	Source
	Dental Practice Board
	The number of practices accepting new NHS patients for registration at October 2003 is shown in the following table. The information is obtained from the www.nhs.uk website. This information is not available for earlier years.
	Some people choose not to register with a GDS dentist and only visit the dentist when they require treatment on an occasional basis. Patients may also obtain treatment from other NHS dental services, including dental access centres.
	
		NHS dental services: number of general dental service practices and personal dental service pilots accepting new patients for registration, 3 October 2003
		
			 Primary care trust Registering charge exempt adults for NHS treatment Registering charge paying adults for NHS treatment Registering children aged 0 to 18 years for NHS treatment 
		
		
			 England 3,471 3,124 4,340 
			 Four Gloucestershire PCTs 12 7 12 
			 Cotswold and Vale PCI 4 1 3 
		
	
	Source
	http://www.nhs.uk

Diabetes

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the continuity of supply of animal insulin for those diabetes sufferers who do not wish to use human insulin.

Rosie Winterton: The Department is in regular contact with the companies supplying animal insulin in the United Kingdom. Both companies have confirmed that they will continue to supply animal insulin for the foreseeable future.

Long-term Care

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about financing for care places in London in the next financial year.

Stephen Ladyman: There have been substantial increases in the level of funding provided for social services in London and across England in recent years which local councils can use to increase local provision or to rebalance the care home market and increase fee levels if that is what is needed. Independent researchers, Laing & Buisson recently published research on fees paid to independent sector providers, which shows that fees in the care home sector have increased nationally by an estimated 8 per cent. in 2002–03—well ahead of wages. This is clear independent evidence that care home fees are being increased.
	The revenue support grant for London boroughs reflects the higher costs of care in the capital, and this allows these boroughs to pay higher care home fees than local authorities in popular locations in the rest of the South East, especially on the border with London.
	Care homes face special challenges, such as high capital overheads, in London and this impacts on cost and availability. In order to meet these challenges London boroughs have developed a range of services to enable greater choice for older people. This is demonstrated by the fact that in London more people are receiving intensive home care packages than in any other region of the country.

Lung Disease

Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the introduction of a national service framework on lung disease.

Melanie Johnson: There are no plans for a national service framework (NSF) on lung disease. We are, however, taking steps to improve services for people with lung disease. The children's NSF will include childhood asthma as an exemplar condition. The NSF for chronic heart disease already has a reduction in cigarette smoking as one of its major targets. We have also banned tobacco advertising and made smoking reduction aids available on national health service prescription.
	Additionally we have asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to prepare guidelines for the management and diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We expect this guidance to be produced in 2004.

Ministerial Travel

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times since 2001 he has taken flights on departmental duties in the UK; how many of these were (a) charter flights, (b) first or club class and (c) by helicopter; and who accompanied him on each trip.

John Hutton: pursuant to the answer, 12 February 2003, Official Report, c. 820W
	I regret that the previous response the hon. Member received was incorrect. The response should have read as follows:
	"According to available information Ministers in the Department of Health made the following flights within the UK between 2001 and February 2003.
	My right hon. Friend, the then Secretary of State (Mr Milburn) made one business class return flight, three single business class flights and one single premium economy flight. He was accompanied by one private secretary and one special adviser on four occasions.
	I made four business class return flights and two single business class flights. I was accompanied by one private secretary on three occasions.
	My noble Friend, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath) made two return business class flights.
	In her capacity as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend, the Member for Salford (Ms Blears) made one business class return flight and six single business class flights. She was accompanied by one private secretary on three occasions.
	In her capacity as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, my hon. Friend, the Member for Salford (Ms Blears) made three business class return flights and six single business class flights. She was accompanied by one private secretary on two occasions.
	In his capacity as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy) made three business class return flights and two single business class flights. On four occasions he was accompanied by one private secretary and by two private secretaries on one occasion.
	In her capacity as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) made one business class return flight and was accompanied by one private secretary.
	In his capacity as Minister of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Southampton Itchen (Mr Denham) made one business class return flight and was accompanied by one private secretary.
	In her capacity as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Edgbaston (Ms Stuart) made one single business class flight.
	All travel was undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library."

MMR Vaccine

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government have given to any manufacturer or supplier of (a) MMR and (b) MR vaccine (i) an indemnity, (ii) an undertaking and (iii) a letter of comfort in respect of claims or potential claims arising out of the use of such vaccines.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 27 October 2003
	No.

Pacemakers

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients received heart pacemakers in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on the reliability of pacemakers.

Melanie Johnson: Figures published in the National Pacemaker Database Annual Report for 2002 are shown in the table.
	
		For the United Kingdom
		
			  Total New Replacement 
		
		
			 1998 23,366 18,674 4,692 
			 1999 23,705 18,912 4,793 
			 2000 24,916 19,439 5,477 
			 2001 27,028 20,643 6,385 
			 2002 25,397 19,154 6,243 
		
	
	The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency considers the overall current reliability of pacemakers to be appropriate.

Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to combat PXE; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 28 October 2003
	Specialised genetics services may play a role in the diagnosis of Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), and in giving advice to families about inheritance of the disease. As a result of the genetics White Paper and earlier commitments, the Government are investing substantially in genetics services.

Smog

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his latest estimate is of the (a) mortality and (b) morbidity caused by smog in the UK;
	(2)  what research he has commissioned on the effects on human health caused by the emission of oxides of nitrogen from conventionally powered vehicles.

Melanie Johnson: The Department of Health has commissioned several research projects on the health effects of nitrogen dioxide. These include research on the interaction between nitrogen dioxide and allergens in asthmatic volunteers; research on nitrogen dioxide and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; research on the impact of the 1991 nitrogen dioxide episode; research on the health effects of exposure to traffic; general air pollution projects which include nitrogen dioxide and some literature review projects. A full list of the air pollution research projects funded by the Department of Health is given on the air pollution website www.doh.gov.uk/airpollution/index.htm. The Executive Summary of a review of results of the air pollution research programme is available at www.le.ac.uk/ieh/pdf/sr4execsum.pdf.
	The Department of Health's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) has reported that, in 1995–96, air pollution in Great Britain was associated with deaths brought forward in those already ill and respiratory hospital admissions as shown in the following tables.
	
		Numbers of deaths and hospital admissions for respiratory diseases affected per year by PM10 (particulate matter generally less than 10 (m in diameter) and sulphur dioxide in urban areas of Great Britain
		
			 Pollutant Health outcomes GB urban 
		
		
			 PM10 Deaths brought forward (all cause) 8,100 
			  Hospital admissions (respiratory) brought forward and additional 10,500 
			
			 S02 Deaths brought forward (all cause) 3,500 
			  Hospital admissions (respiratory) brought forward and additional 3,500 
		
	
	
		Numbers of deaths and hospital admissions for respiratory diseases affected per year by ozone in both urban and rural areas of Great Britain during summer only
		
			 Pollutant Health outcomes GB, threshold = 50 ppb GB, threshold = 0 ppb 
		
		
			 Ozone Deaths brought forward: all causes 700 12,500 
			  Hospital admissions (respiratory) brought forward or additional 500 9,900 
		
	
	Source:
	COMEAP(1998)
	Since that time, pollution levels have reduced but COMEAP has concluded that a wider range of outcomes (such as cardiovascular admissions and loss of life expectancy due to long-term exposure) can be quantified. COMEAP will be producing a report updating the above estimates starting in 2004.

ENVIRONMENT

US Reserve Fleet (Decommissioning)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions, between which individuals, have taken place between the Government and the US Administration in respect of the ships from the US Reserve Fleet intended for dismantling in the UK.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 21 October 2003
	There have been discussions between officials in the Department, the Department for Transport, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Health and Safety Executive, and the Environment Agency, and their counterparts in the US State Department, the US Marine Administration and the US Environmental Protection Agency. These discussions covered a range of issues including the safe transportation of the vessels across the Atlantic, the environmentally sound management of wastes arising from the dismantling of the vessels, and the authorisations and notifications necessary to undertake these operations.

US Reserve Fleet (Decommissioning)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact on the marine environment of the Tees estuary of the planned dismantling of ships from the US Reserve Fleet.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 21 October 2003
	An assessment was made, by the Environment Agency in combination with other regulatory bodies, regarding modification of the waste management licence for the facility where the dismantling will take place. The assessment satisfied the Agency that the planned operations at the site would be unlikely to have a significant effect on the Tees estuary or the Teesmouth and Cleveland Special Protection Area. Other applications for permissions and consents relating to this case are subject to appropriate scrutiny by the relevant authorities.

Abandoned Cars

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to deal with the problem of abandoned cars.

Elliot Morley: Defra is working closely with other Government Departments on a range of initiatives to tackle the problem of abandoned vehicles.
	Our role in this has included introducing, on 9 April 2002, regulations reducing the statutory notice period after which local authorities can remove abandoned vehicles from the highway. Local authorities can now remove from the highway those vehicles that they consider merit destruction after the expiry of a 24 hour notice placed on them.
	We have now consulted on a proposal to reduce the statutory notice period whereby a landowner can object to the removal of a vehicle(s) abandoned on their land. The consultation closed on 24 October. Depending on the outcome of the consultation, we may introduce a regulation in the new year to amend the Removal and Disposal of Vehicles Regulations 1986.

Climate Change

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the impact of climate change on low lying coastal areas; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) was set up in April 1997 and is funded by Defra. In April 2002, a set of scenarios, referred to as the UKCIP02 scenarios, were published. These scenarios cover four potential future UK climates based on a range of emission scenarios: low, medium-low, medium-high and high.
	Overall, the report concludes that is is likely that relative sea level will continue to rise around most of the UK's shoreline. The rate of increase will depend on the natural vertical land movements in each region and on the emissions scenario. By the 2080s, the sea level may be between 26 cm and 86 cm above the current level in south-east England.
	The report also concludes that extreme sea levels will be experienced more frequently. For some east coast locations, extreme sea levels could occur between 10 and 20 times more frequently by the 2080s than they do now, under the medium-high emissions scenario.
	The Defra publication, "Flood and Coastal Defence Project Appraisal Guidance 3: Economic Appraisal", advises operating authorities to assume an increase in sea level of between 4 mm and 6 mm per year, where the higher level applies to the south and east of England. These allowances have been built into FM measures since the mid 1980s.

EU Shellfish Directive

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regulatory impact assessment has been carried out to establish the likely costs to (a) water companies, (b) other companies, (c) local authorities and (d) the Environment Agency arising from the implementation of the EU Shellfish Directive.

Elliot Morley: A Regulatory Impact Assessment was prepared for the major review of designated waters under the Shellfish Waters Directive (79/923/EEC) announced in 1999. It showed (a) costs to water companies in England estimated at £81 million, (b) no costs identified at the time to other companies and (c) no costs to local authorities. Costs to the Environment Agency are taken into account in their grant received from Defra and are in the region of £320,000 for 2003–04. Costs to water companies of possible further measures are being assessed as part of the current periodic review of water prices.

Fly-tipping

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the use of fixed penalty notices to deter fly- tipping.

Elliot Morley: Because fly-tipping is a serious offence, it attracts penalties of up to £20,000 or six months imprisonment if convicted in a Magistrates' Court, or an unlimited fine and up to two years imprisonment if convicted in a Crown Court. Fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping are not being considered as it could give a confusing message as to the seriousness of the offence.

Fly-tipping

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent research she has commissioned into fly-tipping; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Environmental Campaigns (ENCAMS), a Defra sponsored organisation, recently carried out a study to provide information on fly-tipping. The report is available from the ENCAMS website (http://www.encams.org).
	The Environment Agency have also conducted some research which has considered the types and volumes of waste illegally deposited on agricultural land. Details of this report will be published soon.
	Defra are currently developing an comprehensive research project to collect data on the causes of fly-tipping, an analysis of types and locations of fly-tipped waste, consideration of how fly-tipping might best be prevented and the effect that various waste management policies, both national and local, are having and will have on fly-tipping levels. Results should be available late next year.

GM Organisms

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list National Grid references of trial sites where genetically modified organisms are being released into the environment under directive 2001/18/EC.

Elliot Morley: There are currently five active consents allowing companies to undertake clinical trials of GM bacteria for the development of vaccines in England. The sites of each release are set out in the following table. There are currently no field trials of genetically modified crops taking place in the UK.
	
		
			 Company Type of GMO Site of release Ordnance Survey grid reference Consent reference 
		
		
			 Acambis Research Ltd. GM bacterium St. Bartholomew's Hospital and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London TQ 346 816 02/R35/1 
			 Acambis Research Ltd GM bacterium Chiltern Clinical Research Unit, Slough, Berkshire SU 983 793 03/R35/2 
			 Acambis Research Ltd. GM bacterium St. Bartholomew's Hospital and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London TQ 346 816 03/R35/3 
			 MicroScience Ltd. GM bacterium St. Georges Hospital Medical School, London TQ 269 712 02/R37/01 
			 MicroScience Ltd. GM bacterium BIBRA International Ltd., Carshalton, Surrey TQ 275 621 02/R37/02

Hazardous Waste

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the circumstances under which the Environment Agency treats the movement of waste as an unacceptable risk to public health.

Elliot Morley: Establishments or undertakings which transport waste on a professional basis in England and Wales, are required to be registered with the Environment Agency. Carriers of waste are also subject to the duty of care under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Both these sets of controls are designed to minimise the risk to the environment and human health.

Hazardous Waste

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Landfill Directive which will come into force in July 2004, with reference to existing potentially toxic landfills awaiting remediation.

Elliot Morley: Under the Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002, which implement the technical and regulatory components of the Landfill Directive, all hazardous waste as defined in the regulations will require treatment prior to landfill from 16 July 2004. From that date, co-disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste will be banned, except in certain specific circumstances. The Environment Agency is undertaking a permitting exercise that will bring all currently operating landfill sites, including hazardous waste sites, within the Pollution Protection and Control permit system. This will make the more stringent controls contained in the Landfill Directive a requirement for operating a landfill site in England and Wales.

Kirby Report

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Government's response to the Kirby Report on remediation permits.

Margaret Beckett: The recommendations of the report "Remediation Permit—Towards a single regeneration licence" are being considered, and where appropriate, being taken forward in my Department's review of Waste Permitting. Informal consultation is currently taking place. A formal consultation on draft regulations is expected early next year. A formal response to the report will be prepared following that consultation exercise.

Livestock Support Payments

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the impact on British agriculture of decoupling carried out (a) on an historic basis and (b) on the basis of regional averages.

Margaret Beckett: We are currently consulting stakeholders on whether the historic or area model of the new Single Payments Scheme should be operated in England. Responses to that exercise will help develop our understanding of the range of environmental, social and economic impacts of each of the models including the impact on the agriculture industry and its constituent parts. An assessment has been made of the impact of each model on the distribution of CAP direct aid payments. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

TREASURY

Company Finance Market

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales regarding the effectiveness of the company finance market.

John Healey: The Government issued a consultation document alongside Budget 2003 called "Bridging the Finance Gap: a Consultation on Improving Access to Growth Capital for Small Businesses". The consultation explored a wide range of issues concerning the ability of firms, and in particular, small and high-growth firms, to raise the finance that they need in the market. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) were one of many interested parties who responded to the consultation. The Government are currently considering the responses that it has received from the consultation and will respond in due course.
	Additionally, ICAEW is represented on an advisory group, established in Budget 2003, which is examining the role of accountants and other financial intermediaries in providing advice to firms about the financing options available to them. The group is expected to report to the Government next month.

Company Tax (EU Harmonisation)

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the EU has for the harmonisation of company tax within the EU.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government's view is that fair tax competition is the way forward for Europe, not proposals for tax harmonisation. The Government will not support any action at European level that will threaten jobs or the competitive position of British business.

Company Tax (EU Harmonisation)

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the EU has to combat (a) fraud and (b) evasion in company taxes.

Dawn Primarolo: The ED is considering a draft proposal to amend and update the Directive on Mutual Assistance (77/799/EEC), the objective of which is to improve the functioning of procedures so as to enable Member States to deal more effectively with cross-border tax evasion and avoidance. I submitted an Explanatory Memorandum to the European Scrutiny Committee on 10 September 2003.

Company Tax (EU Harmonisation)

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, 
	(1)  how he defines administrative co-operation in the draft EU constitution Article III-63 on company taxation;
	(2)  how he defines combating tax fraud and tax evasion in Article III—63 of the draft EU Constitution.

Dawn Primarolo: The draft EU Constitutional Treaty proposed by the Convention on the Future of Europe does not contain definitions of these terms. Any changes to the provisions of the existing EU Treaties, including those in Article HI-63 of the draft Treaty, require the unanimous agreement of all Member States. The Government has made it clear in its White Paper "The British Approach to the European Union Intergovernmental Conference 2003" that it will insist that tax matters continue to be decided by unanimity.

Departmental Employees

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees of the Treasury there were in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the staffing figures published in the annual publication 'Civil Service Statistics' which covers permanent staff numbers (FTE basis). Copies of the publication are laid in the Libraries of both Houses. The last edition, with updates based on April 2001 data was published in June 2002.
	Alternatively, this information is available at the following address on the Cabinet Office website: http://www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics/css.htm.

EDS

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list payments made by (a) HM Treasury, (b) Customs and Excise and (c) the Inland Revenue to EDS in each of the last five financial years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The payments made to EDS in each of the last five financial years were as follows:
	(a) HM Treasury
	No payments made because HM Treasury has no commercial relationship with EDS.
	(b) Customs and Excise
	Customs and Excise Customs and Excise only have one contract with EDS through a framework contract signed on 5 July 2002.
	The payments made to EDS were:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2002–2003 1.00 
			 2003(5) 1.21 
		
	
	(5) To date
	Both figures were exclusive of VAT.
	(c) Inland Revenue
	The Inland Revenue has a contract with EDS to supply IT services to the Department. The payments made during the last five financial years were:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1998–1999 208.4 
			 1999–2000 252.3 
			 2000–2001 247.0 
			 2001–2002 299.1 
			 2002–2003 331.9 
		
	
	These figures exclude VAT and payments in respect of capital purchases.

Eileen Tully Ruling

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with representatives of the Valuation Office Agency regarding the implications of the ruling in favour of Mrs. Eileen Tully against the Inland Revenue.

Dawn Primarolo: No discussions have taken place because of the very limited circumstances in which the Tully decision will have an effect elsewhere. The case was determined on the specific facts of the particular case.

Eileen Tully Ruling

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the loss in potential revenue resulting from the ruling in favour of Mrs.Eileen Tully against the Inland Revenue.

Dawn Primarolo: No estimate of any potential loss of revenue has been made as a result of Mrs Tully's Lands Tribunal decision.

Energy Useage

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) electricity and (b) other energy his Department has used in each year since 1997 (i) in total and (ii) per square metre; what the projected use is for each of the following years for which forecasts are made; what plans he has to reduce usage; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Suffolk, South (Mr. Yeo) on 30 April 2003, Official Report, column 373W. The Chancellor's Departments will continue to ensure that they minimise energy spend/consumption while still meeting business needs. The Departments remain fully committed to meeting the challenging demands of the Government's Framework Targets.

Income Tax

Alan Milburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost would be of reducing the starting rate of tax to (a) five per cent.and (b) nought per cent.for those earning less per annum that (i) £5,000, (ii) £10,000, (iii) £15,000, (iv) £20,000, (v) £25,000 and (vi) £30,500 assuming that the starting rate continues to apply to the first £1,960 of taxable income.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 29 November 2003
	Estimates are given in the table.
	
		
			 Cost of reducing the starting rate of tax(6) Starting rate in 2003–04 
			 (in £ billion) (a) Five per cent. (b) nought per cent. 
		
		
			 Total income per annum less than:   
			 (i) £5,000 Negligible Negligible 
			 (ii) £10,000 0.6 1.1 
			 (iii) £15,000 1.2 2.4 
			 (iv) £20,000 1.7 3.3 
			 (v) £23,000 2.0 4.1 
			 (vi) £30,500 2.3 4.6 
		
	
	(6) Excludes dividends income at the starting rate
	The estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes 2000–01 and are consistent with the April 2003 Budget.
	The figures exclude any estimates of behavioural response to the change.

Pay Statistics

Michael Moore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the average weekly gross pay (a) including and (b) excluding overtime for full-time workers in (i) Scotland, (ii) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (iii) Great Britain for (A) all manual, (B) all non-manual and (C) all workers in the last year for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Michael Moore, dated 29 October 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the average weekly gross pay (a) including and (b) excluding overtime for full-time workers in (i) Scotland (ii) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (iii) Great Britain for all workers. (134578)
	The attached tables show the average gross weekly gross pay (a) including and (b) excluding overtime for full-time workers in (i) Scotland (ii) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (iii) Great Britain for all workers.
	The tables do not include estimates for manual and non-manual employees separately. This is because the data have been coded on the Standard Occupational Classification 2000 which does not differentiate between manual and non-manual employees. An alternative to the manual and non-manual separation can be derived from the New Earnings Survey (NES), based on the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC). However, the two classification methods do produce different results and, to avoid misunderstanding, tables based on the NS-SEC will not be used to substitute for manual and non-manual employees in publications. Hence there is no data based on the manual and non-manual separation.
	The NES publication criteria state that all estimates with a sample number less than 30 or a relative standard error greater than 5 per cent. must be suppressed. A large number of estimates have been removed from the lists due to the suppression criteria. The information is based on the 2003 NES, the latest survey for which data are available, providing earnings data for April 2003.
	
		Average weekly earnings including overtime, all employees,April 2003 -- £
		
			 Area Average earnings 
		
		
			 Great Britain 475.8 
			 Scotland 436.8 
			   
			 Scottish Unitary Authorities  
			 Aberdeen City 524.7 
			 Aberdeenshire 422.2 
			 Angus 398.3 
			 Argyll and Bute 381.2 
			 Scottish Borders, The 355.6 
			 Clackmannanshire (7)—  
			 Dumfries and Galloway 381.6 
			 Dundee City 436.8 
			 East Ayrshire 425.7 
			 East Dunbartonshire (7)— 
			 East Lothian 394.8 
			 East Renfrewshire (7)— 
			 Edinburgh, City of 467.0 
			 Falkirk 412.9 
			 Fife 409.7 
			 Glasgow City 437.9 
			 Highland 419.6 
			 Inverclyde 379.7 
			 Midlothian 409.1 
			 Moray (7)— 
			 North Ayrshire 409.3 
			 North Lanarkshire 444.1 
			 Orkney Islands (7)— 
			 Perth and Kinross 405.5 
			 Renfrewshire 439.7 
			 Shetland Islands (7)— 
			 South Ayrshire 442.5 
			 South Lanarkshire 421.8 
			 Stirling 429.8 
			 West Dunbartonshire (7)— 
			 West Lothian 423.0 
			 Western Isles (7)—  
		
	
	(7) Data have been suppressed due to small sample size or high relative standard error.
	
		Average weekly earnings excluding overtime, all employees,April 2003 -- £
		
			 Area Average earnings 
		
		
			 Great Britain 457.4 
			 Scotland 417.3 
			   
			 Scottish Unitary Authorities  
			 Aberdeen City 502.6 
			 Aberdeenshire 390.8 
			 Angus 371.6 
			 Argyll and Bute 358.2 
			 Scottish Borders, The 340.9 
			 Clackmannanshire (8)—  
			 Dumfries and Galloway 363.0 
			 Dundee City 420.6 
			 East Ayrshire 402.5 
			 East Dunbartonshire (8)— 
			 East Lothian 377.4 
			 East Renfrewshire (8)— 
			 Edinburgh, City of 455.0 
			 Falkirk 388.9 
			 Fife 387.9 
			 Glasgow City 420.3 
			 Highland 401.1 
			 Inverclyde 366.6 
			 Midlothian 394.1 
			 Moray 344.7 
			 North Ayrshire 394.1 
			 North Lanarkshire 416.4 
			 Orkney Islands (8)— 
			 Perth and Kinross 389.8 
			 Renfrewshire 419.6 
			 Shetland Islands (8)— 
			 South Ayrshire 419.8 
			 South Lanarkshire 405.0 
			 Stirling 403.9 
			 West Dunbartonshire (8)— 
			 West Lothian 394.9 
			 Western Isles (8)— 
		
	
	(8) Data have been suppressed due to small sample size or high relative standard error

Pay Statistics

Michael Moore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of full-time workers in (a) Scotland, (b) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (c) Great Britain earned gross pay less than (i) £287.93 per week, (ii) £215.95 per week and (iii) £159.60 per week for the categories (A) male manual, (B) male non-manual, (C) all male, (D) female manual, (E) female non-manual, (F) all female, (G) all manual, (H) all non-manual and (I) all workers, (1) including and (2) excluding overtime in the last period for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Michael Moore, dated 29 October 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the percentage of full-time workers who earned gross pay beneath various thresholds in Great Britain, Scotland, and the unitary authorities in Scotland. (134579)
	I am placing in the House of Commons Library, six tables showing the percentage of full-time workers in (a) Scotland (b) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (c) Great Britain who earned gross pay less than (i) £287.93 (ii) £215.95 and (iii) £159.60 per week for (A) male workers (B) female workers and (C) all workers, (1) including and (2) excluding overtime.
	The tables do not include estimates for manual and non-manual employees separately. This is because the data have been coded on the Standard Occupational Classification 2000 which does not differentiate between manual and non-manual employees. An alternative to the manual and non-manual separation can be derived from the New Earnings Survey (NES), based on the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC). However, the two classification methods do produce different results and, to avoid misunderstanding, tables based on the NS-SEC will not be used to substitute for manual and non-manual employees in publications. Hence there is no data based on the manual and non-manual separation.
	There are no data available for each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland for full-time workers who earned gross pay less than £159.60 per week including and excluding overtime due to our publication criteria.
	This is a result of the New Earnings Survey publication criteria, which state that all estimates with a sample number less than 30 or a relative standard error greater than 5 per cent. must be suppressed. A large number of estimates have been removed from the lists due to the suppression criteria. The information is based on the 2003 NES, the latest survey for which data are available, providing earnings data for April 2003.

Performance and Innovation Fund

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the budget of the Performance and Innovation Fund was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: There is no Performance and Innovation fund. However, the Policy Innovation Fund was established in the 2000 Spending Review and the first year in which allocations were made was 2001–02. The budget for the years 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04 was £50 million per annum.

Stamp Duty

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to increase stamp duty on homes.

Ruth Kelly: Stamp duty on house purchases will be replaced by stamp duty land tax from 1 December, but the rates for residential property purchases will be the same. Changes to the tax system are announced by the Chancellor as part of the Budget process.

Tax Credits

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what statutory authority he is seeking to recover overpayments of tax credits within the current financial year (a) in cases of official error and (b) in other cases.

Dawn Primarolo: Section 28(5) Tax Credits Act 2002 deals with cases where it appears likely that an overpayment of tax credits under an award will arise for a tax year. It enables the Inland Revenue to amend that award, or any other award of tax credit to the claimant(s), with a view to reducing or eliminating the likely overpayment.
	Section 28(6) covers cases where a tax credits award is terminated on the grounds that those who had claimed had never, during the period of the award, been entitled to tax credits. In these cases, the amount paid under the award may be recovered as though it were an overpayment of tax credits identified at the year end.

UK Debt

David Marshall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total amount of debt owed to the UK by other countries was in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by country.

Ruth Kelly: Most of the debt owed by sovereign Governments to the UK Government arises from defaults on export contracts guaranteed by the Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD). Such debts usually become the subject of Bilateral Debt Agreements entered into under the auspices of the Paris Club of official creditors. Table 1 shows the debt owed to the UK Government as at 30 September 2003 under Paris Club Arrangements.
	In addition to debt rescheduled in the Paris Club, ECGD holds unrecovered claims on a number of countries, by far the largest of which is Iraq, where ECGD has unrecovered claims of approximately £620 million.
	The UK Government has already announced its commitment to providing 100 per cent. irrevocable debt relief for all countries eligible for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) upon their reaching Completion Point. In addition, for eligible HIPC countries yet to reach Decision Point, the UK does not ask for, or expect to receive, payments. Any debt payments that are made are held in trust until they can be returned to fund poverty reduction.
	The debts of Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda were all cancelled when they reached the HIPC Completion Point.
	The Department for International Development (DfID) no longer provides aid loans to low income countries. However, Table 2 shows the outstanding debt owed to DFID as of 31 March 2003 from loans made in previous years. In 1978, the Government cancelled nearly all of its aid debts to low-income countries, which were worth £1.2 billion. In September 1997, the Government launched the Commonwealth Debt Initiative (CDI). Under the CDI, the Government announced that it was willing to cancel the remaining aid debts, worth £132 million, of those poorer (lower-middle income) Commonwealth countries who were committed to the Millennium Development Goals, who were following sound economic policies, who promoted accountable and transparent governance and who were bearing down on corruption. To date, 12 countries have benefited from this initiative.
	
		Table 1—total amounts outstanding on Paris club agreements as at 30 September 2003 -- £ million
		
			 Market Total owed as at 30/09/03 
		
		
			 Algeria 145.093 
			 Angola 130.409 
			 Argentina 35.533 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.562 
			 Brazil 274.543 
			 Cameroon (9) 64.098 
			 Central African Republic 0.361 
			 Congo 159.842 
			 Cote D'Ivoire 18.898 
			 Croatia 61.524 
			 Cuba 97.110 
			 Democratic Republic of Congo (9) 75.267 
			 Ecuador 65.761 
			 Egypt 151.920 
			 Ethiopia (9) 11.760 
			 Gabon 139.784 
			 Ghana (9) 27.745 
			 Guinea Republic (9) 3.887 
			 Guyana (9) 35.709 
			 Indonesia 785.053 
			 Jamaica 1.497 
			 Jordan 402.510 
			 Kenya 18.856 
			 Liberia 20.594 
			 Macedonia 3.742 
			 Madagascar (9) 27.179 
			 Malawi (9) 0.391 
			 Morocco 25.255 
			 Nicaragua (9) 0.991 
			 Niger (9) 8.232 
			 Nigeria 4.494.293 
			 Pakistan 9.145 
			 Peru 124.814 
			 Philippines 11.146 
			 Poland 789.497 
			 Russia 736.587 
			 Senegal (9) 1.419 
			 Serbia and Montenegro 306.876 
			 Sierra Leone (9) 3.509 
			 Somalia 31.897 
			 Sudan 580.824 
			 Togo 19.359 
			 Vietnam 10.105 
			 Zambia (9) 174.396 
			   
			 Totals 10,008.973 
		
	
	(9) Decision point HIPC
	Note
	Total owed includes principal and interest including any arrears.
	
		Table 2—Outstanding debt owed to the Department for International Development as at 31 March 2003 -- £
		
			 Country Amount 
		
		
			 Brazil 954,852.21 
			 Cayman Island 99.70 
			 Columbia 69,067.19 
			 Costa Rica 174,886.14 
			 Cyprus 59,374.00 
			 Ecuador 7,418,148.69 
			 Egypt 1,737,760.81 
			 Ghana 2,736,275.01 
			 Guyana 16,941,962.08 
			 Honduras 746,666.72 
			 Ivory Coast 1,264,777.00 
			 Jordan 14,057,480.78 
			 Malaysia 815,159.31 
			 Mozambique 67,500.00 
			 Nicaragua 398,200.00 
			 Nigeria 4,233,084.04 
			 Paraguay 821,148.00 
			 Peru 4,633,373.96 
			 Philippines 1,006,985.25 
			 Senegal 48,329.67 
			 Seychelles 7,885,673.72 
			 St Kitts 2,734,970.00 
			 Turkey 9,636,553.52 
			 Zambia 23,115,320.27 
			 Zimbabwe 9,229,420.70 
			   
			 Total 110,787,068.77

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Inward Investment (North-West)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many jobs were created in each year since 1992 in the north-west as a result of inward investment.

Patricia Hewitt: The figures in the table are based on information provided by inward investment companies at the time of the announcement of the decision to invest in the UK. They are based on the companies' best estimate, at that time, of the number of new jobs associated with each investment.
	There is no requirement on companies to notify inward investment decisions to Invest UK and so the figures include only those projects where Invest UK and/or North West Development Agency were involved or which have come to their notice.
	
		
			  Number of new jobs 
		
		
			 1992–93 1,012 
			 1993–94 1,927 
			 1994–95 1,986 
			 1995–96 3,622 
			 1996–97 1,556 
			 1997–98 4,944 
			 1998–99 3,224 
			 1999–2000 4,768 
			 2000–01 3,187 
			 2001–02 1,987 
			 2002–03 7,486

Arms Exports

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 6 October 2003, Official Report, column 1068W, whether the Government's proposals on transportation of small arms comply with Clause II.14 of the Programme.

Nigel Griffiths: The new controls that the Government will be introducing on trafficking and brokering are fully consistent with the United Nations Programme on Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.

BAE Systems

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received on BAE Systems relocation of its regional aircraft business to Ayrshire; what funding her Department has provided to BAE Systems plant at Prestwick for employment relocation and creation; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, has received one representation on BAE Systems' relocation of its new regional aircraft business to Prestwick in Ayrshire.
	The Department of Trade and Industry has provided no funding to BAE Systems' plant in Prestwick. However, following the company's decision to cease regional aircraft production, the Scottish Executive, having consulted with DTI, offered BAE Systems £2.4 million in Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) to support the consolidation of their Regional Aircraft Support Centre at Prestwick.

BAE Systems

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of (a) the impact of BAE Systems' decision to relocate regional aircraft production from its Woodford Aerodrome in the North West to Prestwick on employment opportunities in the North West of England and (b) the future viability of the aerospace industry in the North West.

Jacqui Smith: The Department's understanding is that BAE Systems Regional Aircraft has not relocated regional aircraft production from Woodford in the North West to Prestwick in Ayrshire as, with the cancellation of the Avro RJX, the company took the decision in November 2001 to cease all further regional aircraft production activities. A number of different locations were considered before BAE Systems Regional Aircraft decided to place its new Regional Aircraft business, focusing on customer support, engineering and management support, in Prestwick.
	As regards the future viability of the aerospace industry in the North West, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, established the Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team (AeIGT) in May 2002 to produce a 20-year vision for the future of the aerospace industry across the whole of the UK, including the North West of England, and to make recommendations as to how to make that vision a reality. Over 140 senior representatives of aerospace companies, Government Departments and trade unions, as well as universities and research bodies, have been involved. Work is now proceeding on the implementation of the AeIGT's recommendations and a wide range of stakeholders are involved in producing plans to achieve this, both nationally and at local level. The Chairman of the North West Regional Development Agency is a member of the AeIGT and has been, and continues to be, closely involved in its work.

Chemicals

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the European Commission's draft proposals for the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals; and what assessment her Department has made of the likely impact of the proposals on the chemicals industry.

Jacqui Smith: The UK Government fully support the objectives set out in the Commission's White Paper on the new EU Chemicals Strategy. Following the Commission's consultations on draft legislative proposals in May to July this year, the Commission has indicated its intention of making a number of changes to the proposals. The Government welcome any changes intended to make the proposals more effective and workable, and will be considering the revised proposals in consultation with stakeholders. Once adopted, the Government will carry out a separate UK consultation, and that will be accompanied by a regulatory impact assessment.

Defence Export Licences

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in how many cases where a defence export licence was revoked in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002 a defence export licence was subsequently granted to allow the export of the same items to an alternate destination.

Nigel Griffiths: This information is not readily available and would require both a computer and manual search of all records for the three years in question to determine whether there are identical matches and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Electricity Supply

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with National Grid Transco about the maintenance of the network, following the power cuts in August; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 23 October 2003
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has not personally spoken with National Grid Transco on this issue—however she is being kept fully appraised of developments. I have spoken on a number of occasions with the CEO of NGT concerning the August power cuts.
	To ensure that all the facts have been assembled about these incidents, and that the appropriate lessons learnt for the future, the Government in conjunction with the Regulator—Ofgem, commissioned a report employing independent consultants. DTI's Engineering Inspectorate is also investigating the circumstances around the power interruptions.

Employment Tribunals

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employment tribunal cases there were in (a) south Tyneside, (b) Tyne and Wear, (c) the north-east and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table shows the number of tribunal applications registered by the Employment Tribunals Service in the UK since 1997. Statistical information for the geographical areas of south Tyneside, Tyne and Wear and the north-east is not readily accessible and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Registered tribunal applications 
		
		
			 2002–03 98,617 
			 2001–02 112,227 
			 2000–01 130,408 
			 1999–2000 103,935 
			 1998–99 91,913 
			 1997–98 80,435 
			 1996–97 88,910

Employment Tribunals

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average amount of an employment tribunal cost award was in (a) south Tyneside, (b) Tyne and Wear, (c) the north-east and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table shows the average amount of an employment tribunal cost award in the UK since 1997. We are unable to supply the average amount of an employment tribunal cost award for south Tyneside, Tyne and Wear and the north-east.
	
		£
		
			  Average cost award 
		
		
			 2002–03 1,524 
			 2001–02 983 
			 2000–01 295 
			 1999–2000 1,155 
			 1998–99 743 
			 1997–98 546

Employment Tribunals

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average award for compensation in employment tribunal cases has been in (a) south Tyneside, (b) Tyne and Wear, (c) the north-east and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Employment Tribunals Service only collects compensation statistics for tribunal cases covering the jurisdictions of unfair dismissal, race discrimination, sex discrimination and disability discrimination. Therefore, the figures quoted in the following table illustrate the average award for compensation in employment tribunal cases for the UK since 1997 in relation to the aforementioned complaints. We are unable to supply separate information for south Tyneside, Tyne and Wear and the north-east.
	
		£
		
			  Average compensation award 
		
		
			 2002–03 7,598 
			 2001–02 7,306 
			 2000–01 5,764 
			 1999–2000 5,734 
			 1998–99 4,449 
			 1997–98 4,894

Employment Tribunals

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employment tribunal cost awards have been made against (a) respondents and (b) applicants in (i) south Tyneside, (ii) Tyne and Wear, (iii) the north-east and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table illustrates how many employment tribunal cost awards have been made against respondents and applicants in the UK in the last two financial years. The Employment Tribunals Service did not breakdown the statistics for applicants and respondents prior to 2001–02. We are unable to supply information for south Tyneside, Tyne and Wear and the north-east.
	
		
			  Costs awards against respondent Costs awards against applicant 
		
		
			 2002–03 307 691 
			 2001–02 169 467

Energy Production

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average cost of producing electricity through (a) nuclear, (b) coal, (c) gas, (d) wind and (e) other renewable sources was; and what the average price paid by suppliers for electricity from each of the above generators was in the last year for which figures are available.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 28 October 2003
	This information is a commercial matter for the electricity generators and suppliers. Some indicative information on potential future prices for renewable sources, and for electricity produced from nuclear sources is given in "The Energy Review, a Performance and Innovation Unit Report, February 2002" available at www. number-10.gov.uk/su/energy/1.html, and in the "Long-Term Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the UK" report prepared by an Inter-departmental Analysts Group, available at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/greenhousegas/index.shtml. Both reports are available in the Libraries of the House.

Export Controls

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 6 October 2003, Official Report, column 1068W, on export controls, what her reasons are for concluding that it would be impractical to maintain a register of arms brokers.

Nigel Griffiths: The Government have already made clear that it proposes to register information on all those applying for licences, both for exports and for arms trafficking and brokering activities, thus creating a database available to be used for licensing and enforcement purposes, including as appropriate on an international basis. In addition, users of Open General Licences have to register to use the licence.
	The Government believe that licence applications should be scrutinised on a case-by-case basis, with regard primarily to the nature of the transaction in question. Scrutiny and approval of individual transactions to areas of concern achieves a greater measure of control than simply a general assessment of companies' or individuals' reputation.

Industrial and Provident Societies

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what consideration was given in the company law review to bringing the audit requirements for industrial and provident societies in line with those of registered companies;
	(2)  what consideration was given in the company law review to amending the requirement that obliges industrial and provident societies wanting to publish interim accounts to undertake a full audit.

Jacqui Smith: The remit of the company law review did not extend to industrial and provident societies.
	The Treasury will consider the modernisation of industrial and provident society legislation in the light of the proposed reform of company law.

Insurance Premiums

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her assessment of the impact of insurance premium levels on the (a) construction, (b) manufacturing and (c) farming sectors of the economy.

Nigel Griffiths: Government have encouraged the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) to work with business bodies and Trade Associations towards improving the availability of affordable cover. Since the publication of the Government interim report in June 2003, the ABI and BIBA have published a statement of good practice, making a commitment to provide at least 21 days' notice of their renewal terms for all policies, starting from 1 November 2003.

Mr. Ashley Jenkins

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to hold an investigation into the activity of Mr. Ashley Jenkins whose company assets were frozen on 2 October; what representations she has received about this case; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 27 October 2003
	Inquiries under section 447 of the Companies Act 1985 into the affairs of Ashley Jenkins Ltd. and Ashley Jenkins SL, a company registered in Spain, were undertaken by officials of the Department's Companies Investigations Branch. The investigation's findings resulted in the presentation of a public interest winding-up petition, on 2 October, the High Court appointing the Official Receiver as Provisional Liquidator of both companies, pending the hearing of the petition on 14 January 2004.
	The Official Receiver's duties as Provisional Liquidator include the preservation and protection of both companies' assets and financial records.
	In view of the fact that this matter remains before the High Court it would be inappropriate for me to comment further about the affairs of the Ashley Jenkins companies.

Outsourcing

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to persuade companies to maintain jobs in the UK rather than outsource abroad.

Patricia Hewitt: As companies in the UK are operating in an increasingly competitive, global marketplace, they must have the freedom to choose where to locate in order to maximise their competitive advantage. If we chose to operate a protectionist approach, we would run the risk of forcing companies to locate completely out of the UK. This would not be to our long term economic benefit.
	We will continue to create a stable, competitive environment in the UK. Our long term economic interest will be based on our ability to innovate to produce high value- added goods and services which need a highly skilled workforce, high calibre managers, forward looking unions and knowledgeable consumers.

Red Tape

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to reduce the regulatory burden on small and medium-sized firms.

Nigel Griffiths: Among the measures taken by the Government to cut red tape are:
	cutting form-filling for 700,000 small businesses with our new flat rate VAT scheme;
	abolishing automatic penalties for late filing of VAT and giving UK businesses the best VAT threshold in Europe;
	cutting the number of regulations passed by Parliament in the past year by 793;
	cutting the time and bureaucracy it takes to set up a business from 28 separate licences, certificates and registrations in some cases ten years ago to less than a day now, costing under £10, while in the EU on average it takes four weeks to set up a new business and costs over £600.
	These measures and others have established the UK in the top three countries for low levels of red tape, favourable tax regime, flexible labour markets, open financing systems and modern infrastructure, according to the latest Economist Intelligence Unit/Apax Partners survey of 60 countries.
	British Gas's latest survey of business managers concludes that they are spending considerably less time dealing with red tape and non-core activities. 2.4 million SMEs have been created since 1997, including an estimated 1,690 in the hon. Member's constituency.
	We are seeking further improvements through Regulatory Impact Assessments, 'Think Small First' and Small Business Europe which promotes better regulation.

Small Businesses

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent research she has commissioned on the administrative burden on small businesses.

Nigel Griffiths: The Small Business Service, an executive agency of the DTI, commissioned the Small Business Survey 2003 in June 2003, to understand the concerns of small and medium-sized businesses. It has several questions on the administrative burden of small businesses, including how much time small and medium-sized enterprises spend each week on paperwork relating to complying with Government regulations and taxes.

State Aid

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on which occasions since 1997 the Government have made representations to the EC regarding state aid by another member state.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 23 October 2003
	No register of interventions is held. Representations can be made in response to notices published in the Official Journal in accordance with Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty; or in cases before the European Court of Justice where it appears appropriate and in UK interests; or on behalf of UK businesses who raise concerns.

World Trade Organisation (Cancun)

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals she will make to the World Trade Organisation on improving the logistics and organisation at WTO conferences after Cancun.

Patricia Hewitt: We are currently discussing potential proposals in this area with other EU member states and with the commission. We are also in contact with the consultative group established by the Director General of the WTO, which we expect to produce recommendations in the course of next year.

TRANSPORT

Air Travel (Compensation)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his Answer of 21 October 2003, Official Report, column 472W, on air travel (compensation), 
	(1)  if his Department will produce a partial regulatory impact assessment; and if he will place a copy in the Library;
	(2)  if it is the policy of his Department to comply with the Cabinet Office guidance on regulatory impact assessment; and if it is being complied with in this case.

Tony McNulty: A partial regulatory impact assessment on the proposed Regulation was prepared at an early stage, and has been periodically updated to reflect changes made to the original text as work on the proposal has progressed. The latest version reflects the Council's common position of 11 March 2003. However, following the recent conciliation process between the Council and the European Parliament, a number of amendments to the common position have been agreed and the regulatory impact assessment will need to be modified accordingly. On receipt of the final text of the Regulation we will be in a position to complete our assessment and, in due course, place a copy in the Libraries of the House.

Airport Development

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what communities he has visited near airports which may feature in his White Paper on Airport Development.

Tony McNulty: Ministers have met numerous delegations representing communities that may be affected by development options put forward in the consultation documents, "The Future of Air Transport in the United Kingdom". During the consultation, 18 public exhibitions were held across the UK at or near sites identified for potential airport development.

Airports (East and West Midlands)

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses he received during the extended consultation period regarding airports in the East and West Midlands.

Tony McNulty: About 45,000 responses relating to airports in the East and West Midlands were received between 30 November 2002 and 30 June 2003.

Aviation Fuel Taxation

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government are taking to press (a) member nations of the EU and (b) other international bodies to come to a common position on the taxation of aviation fuel.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 28 October 2003 to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney), Official Report, column 134W.

Blue Badge Scheme

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will include (a) colitis and (b) Crohn's disease in future research on the eligibility criteria for the blue badge scheme.

Tony McNulty: Following a recent review of the Blue Badge Scheme, we will be undertaking research into the independent mobility needs of certain groups of people, including people with colitis and Crohn's disease, to determine whether eligibility should be extended. We propose to take forward that research in 2004.

Blue Badge Scheme

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what 
	(1)  representations he has received from disabled motorcycle owners about problems with attaching disabled badges designed for car windscreens to motorcycles;
	(2)  what advice he has issued to disabled motorcycle owners about attaching disabled badges to their vehicles.

Tony McNulty: Under the current regulations the blue badge must be displayed on the dashboard or fascia panel of the vehicle, with the front facing forward, so that the relevant details are clearly legible from outside of the vehicle.
	For motorcycles we advise that the badge should be exhibited in a conspicuous position on the vehicle so that the relevant details on the front are visible. The precise method of attaching the badge is a matter for the badge holder to determine.
	We have received representations from individual disabled motorcyclists and from the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD) about the problems of displaying the badge so that it complies with the requirements of the regulations. Following discussions with NABD we have agreed to support the Association in designing a suitable secure holder for the badge and the associated time clock. We are, therefore, funding a design competition for 2nd year students at Salford University's School of Art & Design. We hope to have the winning design by summer next year.

Departmental Advertising

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on advertising in (a) 1995, (b) 1997 and (c) 2003.

Tony McNulty: Expenditure is recorded on a financial year basis and is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1995–96 6.4 
			 1996–97 5.7 
			 1997–98 4.5 
			 1998–99 4.6 
			 1999–2000 5.2 
			 2000–01 7.8 
			 2001–02 9.8 
			 2002–03 10.2 
			 2003–04 9.5 
		
	
	(10) estimated advertising outturn
	The increase in expenditure since 2000–01 reflects additional road safety advertising in support of the Government's road safety strategy "Tomorrow's Roads—Safer For Everyone" published in March 2000.

Driving Licence Applications

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his target is for the time taken to process a provisional driving licence application from the date of receipt of the application to the applicant receiving their licence; and what proportion of applications were dealt with within the target in each of the last three years.

David Jamieson: The Secretary of State's targets for the last three years have been as follows:
	
		
			 Year Target Result 
		
		
			 2000–01 95% in 9 working days Achieved 
			 2001–02 95% in 8 working days Achieved 
			 2002–03 95% in 8 Working days Achieved 
		
	
	These performances have been reflected in the Agency's Annual Reports.

Driving Licence Applications

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which medical conditions require further enquiries to be made in applications for provisional driving licences; and what representations he has received from disability organisations in relation to driving licence applications from people with medical conditions or disabilities.

David Jamieson: The medical conditions which need to be declared and where further medical enquiries would normally be undertaken are listed on all the main drivers application forms. For example, the Dl application form (available from post offices) is used to apply for first provisional licences and the D42 and D46 forms which are automatically issued by DVLA to prompt the renewal of medically restricted licences and renewal at age 70 and thereafter.
	We regularly receive representations from disability organisations and interested parties representing individuals suffering from medical conditions that may affect their ability to drive. This representation is welcomed and the information received is often referred to the Secretary of State's Honorary Medical Advisory Panels to help inform their decisions on medical fitness to drive and future policies.

Trains (Smoking)

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to persuade GNER to follow the example of Virgin Rail in banning smoking on all trains;
	(2)  what plans he has to bring together the Health and Safety Executive, train operators and Network Rail to discuss the impact on public health of smoking at railway stations and on trains.

Tony McNulty: There are no such plans. Under the Railways Act 1993 (as amended by the Transport Act 2000) train operating companies may regulate smoking in railway carriages and at their stations. It is a matter for the train operators to decide whether, and where, to permit smoking.

Road Safety

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which proposals contained in his Department's road safety strategy require primary legislation; and in which legislation (a) they have been enacted and (b) he plans to enact them in each case.

David Jamieson: The following primary legislation foreseen in the Government's road safety strategy "Tomorrow's Roads—Safer for Everyone" has been enacted as follows:
	refer to the relevant chapter of the road safety strategy
	Change legislation on school crossing patrols, Transport Act 2000
	Introducing mandatory logbooks for learner car drivers (to include night-time driving), Transport Act 2000
	Strengthen police powers for roadside testing, accommodating drug screening devices and providing for drug recognition and impairment testing, Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003
	Tighten the seat belt exemption for people on "local rounds of deliveries", Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003
	Develop new technology which could help enforce the law more effectively e.g. digital breath-testing and drug-testing devices, Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003
	The following proposals await a suitable legislative opportunity:
	[3 & 8] Improvement of driver training and testing
	Introduce evidential roadside breath-testing
	Repeal UK drivers1 hours rules in favour of EU rules (pending outcome of European negotiations)
	Provide for driver improvement schemes as a court disposal
	Amend road traffic penalties in the light of Home Office Review of Road Traffic Penalties
	After research and consultation with local authorities the following are deemed no longer to require primary legislation and the Government has no current plans to implement them.
	Creation of a hierarchy of roads by road usage
	Development of a simpler method of making speed limits by reference to a speed management strategy
	The Government also considers that primary legislation may not be necessary for the following and has no plan to pursue it:
	Giving police additional powers to undertake targeted breath testing

Transport for London (Budget)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to increase the Transport for London budget for each financial year from 2005–06.

Tony McNulty: The Progress Report on the 10-Year Plan for Transport, "Delivering Better Transport", published last December, set out indicative levels of spending in London through to 2010–11. Allocations for the period 2005–06 to 2007–08 will be considered in the forthcoming cross-Government spending review, the results of which will be announced next year.

Unsupervised Railway Stations

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to meet local authorities, train operators and Network Rail to discuss the elimination of graffiti at train stations and adjacent railway lines.

Tony McNulty: None.

Unsupervised Railway Stations

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions there have been by British Transport Police of individuals who commit acts of vandalism on (a) trains, (b) railway stations and (c) railway lines in each of the last 10 years.

Tony McNulty: The British Transport Police (BTP) does not record crime statistics split by stations, lines and trains. Also vandalism is not classified as a crime group but the offence of criminal damage is the closest equivalent. Prosecutions are a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service. However, the BTP have provided the information in Table 1 regarding the number of people arrested, summonsed or charged with criminal damage in the past six years which is the maximum period for which reliable data is available. Table 2 shows the total number of criminal damage offences reported and cleared for the last ten years.
	
		Table 1
		
			 Time Period Number of Persons Arrested/Charged/Summonsed for criminal damage offences 
		
		
			 1 October 1997—30 September 1998 607 
			 1 October 1998—30 September 1999 669 
			 1 October 1999—30 September 2000 644 
			 1 October 2000—30 September 2001 537 
			 1 October 2001—30 September 2002 549 
			 1 October 2002—30 September 2003 554 
		
	
	
		Table 2
		
			 Annual criminal damage offences(1 April–31 March) Reported Cleared 
		
		
			 2002–2003 6,502 717 
			 2001–2002 6,030 846 
			 2000–2001 6,536 988 
			 1999–2000 6,826 963 
			 1998–1999 6,573 1,013 
			 1997–1998 6,296 1,105 
			 1996–1997 7,984 994 
			 1995–1996 10,502 971 
			 1994–1995 13,156 1,348 
			 1993–1994 13,023 1,280

Unsupervised Railway Stations

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many unsupervised train stations there are in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Yorkshire.

Tony McNulty: Figures for the number of unsupervised stations are not held centrally. There are no obligations on train operators about staffing stations per se. There are requirements to open ticket offices at the times specified in the 'Ticketing and Settlement Agreement' (TSA). The TSA includes over 1300 stations—more than half the stations on the network—including over 50 in Yorkshire. Train operators may staff stations and ticket offices over and above the requirements of the TSA.

Unsupervised Railway Stations

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent studies have been carried out by his Department into the impact on passenger numbers of fear of violence and antisocial behaviour at unsupervised railway stations.

Tony McNulty: Departmental research was carried out last year on perceptions of personal security and concerns about crime on public transport. This included discussions on staffing at railway stations, what makes people feel insecure at stations, what measures could be taken to improve people's perceptions, and the impact that all these have on people's willingness to travel.

Unsupervised Railway Stations

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps he is taking with Network Rail to tackle vandalism and graffiti at unsupervised railway stations;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to protect the rail infrastructure from criminal damage.

Tony McNulty: This is primarily a matter for Network Rail as owner of the national network infrastructure, and the train operators to which stations are leased. Our Directions and Guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority require it to encourage train operators to participate in both the Secure Stations and Secure Car Parks schemes, which award accreditation when specified standards of design and management are reached. The Strategic Rail Authority has funded the provision of CCTV at stations through its Rail Passenger Partnership fund, and CCTV will be provided at some stations under the Modern Facilities at Stations programme. We also support the initiative by the British Transport Police and train operators to recruit special constables from within their own staff.

Unsupervised Railway Stations

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with train operators on unsupervised stations.

Tony McNulty: None.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Anti-social Behaviour

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources he has provided to (a) Sefton council and (b) the Merseyside Police Authority for monitoring anti-social behaviour.

Hazel Blears: For this financial year 2003–04, the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit (ASBU) provided £700,000 to the Government offices of the north-west to spend on anti-social behaviour matters. The ASBU did not specify on what specific activities they should spend this money.
	Sefton have not been allocated any Home Office funds directly for anti-social behaviour initiatives, but a number of schemes should have an effect on anti-social behaviour. The Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) have allocated £30,000 to develop neighbourhood CCTV systems and a further £19,500 is being used to tackle alcohol-related disorder and improve education and awareness, both of which should have a "knock on" effect on anti-social behaviour.
	Under the Small Retailers scheme, £28,971 was awarded to Sefton and is being used to fund CCTV systems for a number of retailers in the Derby and Linacre and Netherton and Owell wards, and it is hoped that this will deter theft, vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
	For 2003–04, we also provided £200,000 to Liverpool City council for partnership working on anti-social behaviour initiatives. While Merseyside Police were not the direct recipient of this funding, they will obviously benefit from this injection of money, and via the Liverpool Crime and Reduction Partnership will have influence on how this money is best spent.

Anti-social Behaviour

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the anti-social behaviour units within police authorities.

Hazel Blears: All local agencies need to work together if anti-social behaviour is to be tackled effectively and the Police Service has a key role to play. This is reflected in the National Policing Plan, which makes clear that dealing with anti-social behaviour is an overarching policing priority. While we have not carried out any formal assessment of the way in which police forces are tackling anti-social behaviour, it is one aspect being examined in the baseline assessments of police forces currently being carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). The results will be available in the spring. Anti-social behaviour is also being addressed during HMIC's inspections of Police Basic Command Units.

Anti-social Behaviour

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the efforts of (a) police forces in Wales, (b) the South Wales police force and (c) other forces in the United Kingdom to engage with the programme to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Hazel Blears: All local agencies need to work together if anti-social-behaviour is to be tackled effectively and the Police Service has a key role to play. This is reflected in the National Policing Plan, which makes clear that dealing with anti-social behaviour is an overarching policing priority. While we have not carried out any formal assessment of the way in which police forces are tackling anti-social behaviour either in Wales or more generally, it is one aspect being examined in the baseline assessments of police forces in England and Wales currently being carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). The results will be available in the spring. Anti-social behaviour is also being addressed during HMIC's inspections of Police Basic Command Units.

Anti-social Behaviour

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with colleagues in the Welsh Assembly Government in respect of anti-social behaviour initiatives with particular reference to (a) pilot residential parenting schemes, (b) nuisance neighbours panels, (c) criminal justice interventions programme areas, (d) Operation Scrap-it, (e) Operation Gate-it and (f) Operation Scrub-it.

Hazel Blears: The work in this area is being taken forward by the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit at the Home Office. The unit was set up in January 2003. Staff within the unit have undertaken visits to different parts of England and Wales gathering information from communities and practitioners about their anti-social behaviour priorities.
	This resulted in the introduction of the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill and the publication of the White Paper, 'Respect and Responsibilities' (March 2003). This was followed up by the launch of the Action Plan (10 October 2003) which outlines the initiatives mentioned above. The powers in the Bill relating to local authority powers to get graffiti off street furniture are a devolved issue (the powers will be given to 12 authorities in England in the first instance). It is for the Welsh Assembly to decide whether authorities in Wales will adopt these powers.

Anti-social Behaviour

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy on anti-social behaviour.

Hazel Blears: Tackling anti-social behaviour is a priority for Government. The Home Office published an Action Plan "Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour Together" on 14 October 2003. The action plan sets out existing and new work across the Home Office and other Government Departments which contributes to the drive to tackle anti-social behaviour across England and Wales.

Anti-social Behaviour

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he recommends police forces use to deter anti-social behaviour.

Hazel Blears: As the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan launched on 14 October makes clear, effective action to tackle anti-social behaviour requires effective partnership working between all local agencies including the police. The police have a very important role to play, and tackling anti-social behaviour is a key national policing priority under the National Policing Plan (NPP). Forces need to set out as part of their annual local plan and strategic plans under the NPP how they are going to address anti-social behaviour.
	The response of the police, working with its partners, will depend on the nature of the local problems. In responding to those problems, the police need to ensure that they are using the National Intelligence Model to identify and target action against anti-social behaviour; have in place agreed information sharing protocols with other agencies; ensure they are using their resources effectively, including the Special Constabulary and Community Support Officers; be clear about how the various interventions available, for example, acceptable behaviour contracts, anti-social behaviour orders, fixed penalty notices, can best be used as part of a local strategy. Police forces should also, with partner agencies, be considering how they will use the new powers which will become available under the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill.

Anti-social Behaviour

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the aims are of the pilot scheme in Manchester in which people guilty of anti-social behaviour remain on housing benefit and accept training; and what plans there are for similar pilots in the North East of England.

Hazel Blears: The Foundations pilot developed by Manchester city council, Irwell Valley Housing Association and the children's charity NCH is based on a NCH project that has been running in Dundee for the last five years.
	The pilot aims to provide intensive support to families who have a history of committing anti-social behaviour. It aims to tackle the causes of this behaviour and establish some stability for children living within the families. There are strict rules and high expectations of each family involved in this pilot. Each family will understand that certain behaviour will not be tolerated and would result in eviction from the scheme.
	At present there are no projects similar to the Dundee project in the North East of England. However a number of local authorities and their partners provide tenancy support and at least one is developing plans for a 'Dundee type' project.

Call Centres

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department plans to outsource call centre work to premises outside the United Kingdom.

Fiona Mactaggart: The available information held by the Home Office on call centres shows that the Home Office does not have any outsourced call centre contracts and has no plans to outsource such work outside the United Kingdom.

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for West Worcestershire will receive a response to his letter of 7 July, reference M3286/3.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 27 October 2003
	I wrote to the hon. Member on 24 October 2003.

Drug-related Offences

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours he estimates have been spent by the police service in each of the last 15 years in dealing with drug related offences; how many hours per year on average this represented for each serving police officer; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected. Police officers in particular exercise considerable discretion and judgement in the way they carry out their duties in this area as in others. Their deployment however is for the Chief Officer of Police who utilise a number of strategies to combat drug crime.
	The Government are strengthening enforcement at a local level, supporting the police to better tackle drug misuse. Through the updated Drug Strategy annual proactive expenditure on reducing drug supply is expected to be £380 million for 2003–04 for all enforcement agencies.
	We are taking high profile action against suppliers in communities with particular problems. Every opportunity from arrest, to court, to sentence, will be used to get offenders into treatment to break the link between drugs and crime.

Essex Police (Special Branch)

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Special Branch constables were employed by Essex police on 1 September.

Hazel Blears: It is not our policy to disclose details of Special Branch deployments at force level in the interests of national security, as to do so could compromise operations.

Juvenile Offenders

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were committed by juvenile offenders in (a) Haltemprice and Howden, (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (c) the Humberside Police Authority area in each of the last two quarters for which figures are available; and how many cautions were issued.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 16 October 2003
	The information contained in the table gives the number of children convicted of all offences and those given reprimands and final warnings in Humberside, during the last two quarters of 2001.
	The information collected centrally does not enable cases in the Haltemprice and Howden constituency to be identified nor cautions in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Neither is it possible to give the number of crimes committed by juveniles, only the number of juveniles who are found guilty of all offences.
	Statistics for 2002 will be published in December.
	
		Number of children found guilty at all courts for all offences and those given reprimands and final warnings(11), Humberside, last two quarters of 2001
		
			  2001 
			 Area, age and disposal etc Qtr 3 Qtr 4 Total 
		
		
			 East Riding of Yorkshire
			 Children aged 10–17 found guilty 112 93 205 
			 Children aged 10–17 receiving a reprimand n/a n/a n/a 
			 Children aged 10–17 receiving a final warning n/a n/a n/a 
			 
			 Humberside Police Force Area
			 Children aged 10–17 found guilty 477 382 859 
			 Children aged 10–17 receiving a reprimand 247 186 433 
			 Children aged 10–17 receiving a final warning 129 74 203 
		
	
	n/a = Not available
	(11) Reprimands and final warnings replaced cautions for juveniles from June 2000.

Metropolitan Police (Rental Vehicles)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent by the Metropolitan police on rental vehicles in each month since March.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is in the table. It has been provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.
	
		Breakdown for each month: April 2003—September 2003
		
			 Month Total (£000) 
		
		
			 April 2003 (12)204 
			 May 2003 497 
			 June 2003 961 
			 July 2003 1,203 
			 August 2003 864 
			 September 2003 668 
			 Totals: 4,397 
		
	
	(12) This figure takes account of retrospective year end adjustments (credits for accruals) for 2002/03.

Open Circuit Television (Monmouth)

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an investigation into the contract to install open circuit television in Monmouth and the role of the then Acting Chief Constable of Gwent Police, Mr. Richard Thomas; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: There are no plans for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to set up an investigation.
	I am advised by Gwent Police that Gwent Police Authority requested an investigation by the District Auditor relating to issues surrounding CCTV in spring 2000. The preliminary results of this inquiry led the Chief Constable of Gwent to refer the matter to the Chief Constable of West Mercia for a full criminal investigation relating to the then retired Acting Chief Constable, Richard Thomas, and others. Work on this started in July 2000. At the conclusion of the investigation a report was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, who having considered the evidence, concluded on 31 January 2002 that there would be no criminal proceedings. The recommendations within the District Auditors report are being pursued by Gwent Police Authority.

Police

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his powers to recommend the capping of police authorities.

Hazel Blears: The Home Secretary has no power to recommend the capping of police authorities.
	Powers to cap local authority budgets rest with my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. Prescott).

Police

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the daily average proportion of police officers' time spent out on patrol following the introduction of community support officers and other civilian support staff.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 27 October 2003
	An analysis of diaries kept by 378 officers in seven forces prior to the introduction of Community Support Officers (CSOs) found that 17 per cent. of regular officers' time was spent on patrol. The Police Reform Act 2002 powers, which allowed the designation of CSOs and other support staff, were commenced on 2 December 2003. We have not yet repeated the exercise.
	However, a programme of research into the nature, frequency and effectiveness of beat patrolling by police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) is under way. Results will be reported as soon as available.
	We know that there is significant variation between forces in the amount of time officers spend on front line duties, including patrol. We are, as part of the Police Performance Assessment Framework, collecting data from forces so that we can publish a baseline estimate of front line policing for all forces next year. We will then use this data to drive time spent on front line policing up, concentrating on those areas where time spent is lowest.
	Most forces currently spend around 60 per cent. of their time on front line policing and I would like to increase that figure.

Police Authorities

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police authorities employ chief executives.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 27 October 2003
	Section 16 of the Police Act 1996 allows each police authority to appoint a clerk to the authority. It is a matter for each police authority to decide if the postholder is termed a chief executive. We do not hold information on this centrally.

Police Authorities

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police authorities have (a) a portfolio structure around themes of community leadership, performance appraisal and strategy development and similar areas of activity and (b) a panel structure.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 27 October 2003
	Section 6(1) of the Police Act 1996 lays upon police authorities the responsibility for securing and maintaining an efficient and effective police force for its area. How the authority organises internally to achieve this, is a local matter for the authorities themselves and not for central Government. Accordingly, there is no information held centrally by the Home Office on the internal structure of each authority.

Police Authorities

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his model internal structure for a local police authority.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 27 October 2003
	The 43 local police authorities have the overarching responsibility to secure and maintain an efficient and effective police force for their area.
	How police authorities decide to structure the organisation is a matter for the authorities themselves in accordance with local circumstances. It would not be appropriate for central Government to provide a model structure for police authorities.

Police Officers (Protection from Violence)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to protect police officers against violence while on duty.

Hazel Blears: All police forces within England and Wales operate within the Health and Safety (Police) Act 1997 and must, therefore, conduct and maintain appropriate risk assessments into the roles of their staff. Where a risk is identified, control measures must be introduced to avert the risk or lessen its impact to an acceptable level.
	In terms of officer safety, the most significant control measures include regular, mandatory self-defence training and the provision of equipment, such as batons, handcuffs and incapacitant spray. All police forces in England and Wales have access to dual-purpose body armour (knives and ballistic) either as a general or pool issue. Specialist officers also receive additional Personal Protective Equipment.

Snares

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been carried out in each police authority area for the illegal use of snares in the last five years.

Paul Goggins: Prosecutions for the illegal use of snares are brought under section 11(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. However, the information collected centrally on court proceedings does not distinguish offences connected with snares from similar offences under section 11 relating to other methods of killing or taking wild animals.
	Two prosecutions under section 11 in England and Wales were notified to the Home Office in 2001, one of which was in the North Wales police force area and the other in Greater Manchester.
	Statistics for 2002 will be published in December.

Special Constables (West Mercia)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables there were in West Mercia for each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The number of Special Constables in West Mercia Constabulary since 1997 are set out in the table:
	
		
			 At 31 March Number 
		
		
			 1997 582 
			 1998 512 
			 1999 515 
			 2000 476 
			 2001 399 
			 2002 339 
			 2003 309 
		
	
	We have made clear in the National Policing Plan 2003–06 our commitment to increase the numbers and effectiveness of the Special Constabulary.

Terrorism

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to the police on publicising the fact that powers under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 are in operation in the local area.

Hazel Blears: The publicising of the use of section 44 powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 in any particular area is an operational decision for the force concerned. Any decision to publicise the fact that the powers are being used would be made in light of the operational objective, and mindful of the need to ensure that the information released can not be exploited by those intent on committing acts of terrorism.
	That said there is a legal requirement under section 45 of the Terrorism Act to inform any individual who is stopped and searched under section 44 that he or she has been stopped and searched under that section of the Act.

TETRA Communications System

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on (a) the refusal of the North Wales police to accept the TETRA communications system and (b) the concerns expressed about the system by the Lancashire force.

Hazel Blears: All police forces in England, Wales and Scotland are committed to Airwave, the new radio communications system based on TETRA technology. The Airwave service will become available in North Wales in December 2004. Airwave is already available to 26 forces and has over 29,000 police users. The rollout is due to complete by mid-2005.
	Lancashire Constabulary, the pilot force for Airwave, is satisfied with the service, which has been fully operational since September 2001.

TETRA Communications System

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual (a) capital and (b) revenue costs are in 2003–04 of the police TETRA communications system.

Hazel Blears: Airwave is the new radio communications system for the police service in England, Wales and Scotland.
	The estimated total capital cost to the Home Office for Airwave in 2003–04 is £78 million. The estimated total revenue cost in 2003–04 is £98 million.

Trafficking for Labour Exploitation

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to introduce an offence of trafficking for labour exploitation.

Beverley Hughes: In the White Paper, "Secure Border, Safe Haven", the Government promised to introduce legislation on trafficking for both labour and sexual exploitation. Offences of trafficking for sexual exploitation are contained in the Sexual Offences Bill currently before Parliament. Legislation covering trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation is currently under development and will be introduced when parliamentary time permits. The United Kingdom played a key role in the negotiation of the 2002 EU Framework Decision on Trafficking, which commits all EU member states to the introduction of criminal offences covering trafficking for both sexual and labour exploitation.

Violent Crime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what percentage of crimes committed in the last 12 months were violent;
	(2)  what the levels of violent crime were in the London borough of Havering in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: In the 12 months to March 2003, violent crime accounted for 17 per cent. of the overall offences recorded in England and Wales. Violent crime is comprised of the following offence classifications, Violence against the person, Sexual offences, and Robbery.
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 18W.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadcasting Licences

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what organisation is responsible for the issuing of radio broadcasting licences in Northern Ireland; what criteria are used in the issuing of licences; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: Responsibility for issuing radio broadcast licences in Northern Ireland lies with the Radio Authority. From 29 December 2003, responsibility will pass to Ofcom.
	The criteria used for the award of Independent Local Radio licences are set out in Section 105 of the Broadcasting Act 1990. Independent National Radio licences are awarded on a highest cash-bid basis in accordance with the provisions of Sections 85 and 98–100 of the Broadcasting Act 1990. Section 51(2) of the Broadcasting Act 1996 sets out the criteria for the award of digital multiplex licences. All other licences (i.e. cable, satellite, restricted service licences, digital sound programme licences) are issued in accordance with either Part III of the 1990 Act or part II of the 1996 Act, and the Radio Authority's published guidelines, copies of which I have placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Communication Media

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the steps her Department is taking to educate older people in the use of communication media.

Estelle Morris: The Government recognise that, in a rapidly changing media environment, it is important that all citizens are media literate and able to make best use of communication media.
	We have therefore, by way of the Communications Act 2003, placed a duty on the new communications regulator, Ofcom, to promote media literacy and to encourage the development of domestic electronic communications apparatus which can be used with ease by the widest possible range of individuals. The Act makes it explicit that, in carrying out these duties, Ofcom must have regard to the needs of older people. The Communications Act also requires Ofcom to set up a committee to provide them with advice on the interests of older and disabled people regarding communications matters.
	In addition, the Department for Education and Skills, in partnership with industry, the voluntary sector and other groups, has set up 6000 'UK online' centres to provide information and communications technology (ICT) access for adults with low or no ICT skills. This Government initiative, announced by the Prime Minister in September 2000, aims to help people develop the skills needed to use the Internet to access information, to send e-mail using a variety of communications media and to explore the opportunities that new technologies offer such as further learning and updating skills. The centres are asked to target potential users from six socially excluded groups including people aged 65 and over.

Cultural Diversity

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on progress towards international standards on cultural diversity at the recent UNESCO conference.

Estelle Morris: It was agreed at the recent UNESCO General Conference that an international standard-setting instrument on cultural diversity would be prepared. The Director General of UNESCO would like to adopt a new draft instrument at the next General Conference in the autumn of 2005. He has also undertaken to consult other UN agencies with interests in cultural diversity. The UK will await the result of this and any internal consultations before deciding whether to become a party to the convention.

Digital Terrestrial Television

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to ensure that digital terrestrial television access is available in all areas of Northern Ireland before analogue services are switched off.

Estelle Morris: The Government are committed to ensuring that terrestrial analogue broadcasting signals are maintained until: everyone who can currently get the main public service broadcasting channels in analogue form (BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4/S4C and Five) can receive them on digital systems; switching to digital is an affordable option for the vast majority of people; and as a target indicator of affordability, 95 per cent. of consumers have access to digital equipment. A Digital Television Action Plan is already in place, designed to deliver these pre-conditions for switching off analogue terrestrial transmissions. A copy of the action plan is available at www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk.

Football Pitches

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance is given to the National Lottery regarding the use of timber and sustainable sources in lottery-funded projects; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: While it remains a fundamental principle that lottery distributors make decisions independently of Government on considering applications for grants for lottery-funded projects, the Government have issued them with a number of Policy Directions. One of these encourages the distributors to take into account 'the need to further the objective of sustainable development'. This would include, although does not specifically relate to, the use of timber.
	The Department is aware of the importance of procuring timber from responsibly managed and sustainable sources and actively encourages all of its non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) to take account of the principles of sustainable development in making grants.

National Lottery

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the Lottery awards granted in the north-west since 2000.

Estelle Morris: 8,881 lottery awards have made since 1 January 2000 in the north-west region.
	Dates of lottery awards and the names of recipients will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Pleasure Piers

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how much National Lottery funding has been provided for the preservation of pleasure piers in the last five years;
	(2)  how many pleasure piers have received public funding in each of the last five years; and from what sources of funds;
	(3)  which pleasure piers being redeveloped and refurbished are in receipt of lottery funding.

Estelle Morris: We have contacted the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage and the National Piers Society to request the information required, and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

Public Entertainment Licences

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to ensure that local authorities are able to set fees for public entertainment licences in order to reflect the proportionate risk of each establishment; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Under current law, an applicant for a public entertainment licence is required to pay a reasonable fee to be determined by the appropriate authority. The existing legislation does not provide a fee structure, however, case law has established that local authorities are entitled to recover the cost of administering the licensing scheme, provided that allowance is made for exemptions or reductions for charities. They are not empowered to raise revenue through a licensing scheme.
	The fees charged by local authorities for public entertainment licences are at their discretion but must be no higher than is necessary to allow the full recovery of their costs. On 10 of April 2000, because of concerns about the levels of fees being charged by some local authorities, the Home Office issued a circular in conjunction with the Local Government Association asking local authorities to review their public entertainment licensing fee structures to ensure that they abide by the case law and are defensible and proportionate in light of the principles of fairness, transparency and consistency, and do no more than permit full recovery of costs.
	Until the Licensing Act 2003 is fully implemented, we have no other mechanism for influencing fee levels.
	Under The Licensing Act 2003, provides for the payment of licence fees in relation to applications, notifications, licences and certificates. The fees will be set centrally by the Secretary of State and are intended to be set on the basis of full cost recovery to allow local authorities to do no more than fairly recover their administration, inspection and enforcement costs associated with in respect of the new licensing regime.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Iraq

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to ensure that any proposal by the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq to allow Iraqi Government ministries to establish armed security forces will specify that (a) all forces are properly trained, (b) they have a clear command structure and (c) all weaponry is surrendered at the end of each shift.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) have already taken steps to ensure that armed security services are established correctly and with the permitted authority. CPA Order No. 27 establishes the authority for Iraqi Government ministries to establish a Facilities Protection Service (FPS). The FPS will be recruited directly by Government ministries, but will wear the same uniform and operate to the standards as set out in Order 27 regardless of where they work. CPA Order No. 3 governs the usage of firearms by all armed security services in Iraq, including the FPS. All the texts of CPA orders can be accessed on the internet at: http://www.cpa-iraq.org/regulations/index.html

NORTHERN IRELAND

Decommissioning

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many acts of decommissioning have taken place in Northern Ireland since April 1998.

Jane Kennedy: In 1998 the Loyalist Volunteer Force carried out an act of decommissioning in Northern Ireland. The IRA have carried out three acts of decommissioning (2001, 2002 and 2003) but I am not in a position to comment on where these events took place.

Belfast Agreement

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on implementation of the Belfast agreement.

Paul Murphy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Dr. Palmer) and my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley (Judy Mallaber).

Organised Crime

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the level of co-operation between British and Irish Governments in tackling organised crime in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend, the Member for Dumfries (Mr. Brown).

Unemployment

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on unemployment levels in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Labour Force Survey estimates indicate that unemployment in Northern Ireland for the period June-August 2003 was estimated to be 5.6 per cent. Northern Ireland unemployment rates remain at relatively low levels in historical terms and have fallen by 2.9 percentage points from December-February 1998 when the unemployment rate was 8.5 per cent.

Assembly Elections

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects elections to be held for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Paul Murphy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink).

Peace Process

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of recent developments in the political situation in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Dr. Palmer).

Water Charging

Iain Luke: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Government's proposal for water charging in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: £3 billion must be invested in Northern Ireland's water and sewerage services over the next 20 years, to comply with European Directives on water quality and protect public health and the environment. To sustain this scale of investment it is necessary that Northern Ireland's water and sewerage services should become self-financing and be delivered outside Central Government.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Working Holidaymakers

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in respect of each Commonwealth country (a) how many applications for entry clearance as a working holidaymaker have been received since 1 January, (b) how many of the applications were refused, (c) what percentage of the applications were successful and (d) what percentage of the applications were refused.

Chris Mullin: Worldwide statistics for all working holidaymaker visas are collated by financial year (1 April–31 March) only and are not available on a monthly basis.
	During the financial year 2002–03 the worldwide figures for the number of working holidaymaker visa applications that were received, issued and refused, and their percentages were as follows:
	
		Worldwide working holidaymaker statistics for FY 2002–03
		
			  Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Applications received 53,234 — 
			 Applications issued 49,361 92.73 
			 Applications refused 3,301 6.20 
			 Applications outstanding(13) 572 1.07 
		
	
	(13) Applications outstanding include those where the application was brought forward into the next accounting period before being resolved. Applications can also be withdrawn during processing and still count as an application received. Numbers of successful applications and entry clearances issued may also not match up because of the way entry clearances are issued: a mother and three children on one passport may count as four applications, but one entry clearance may be issued.

Al-Qaeda

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received about links between Qatar and (a) Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and (b) other members of al-Qaeda.

Bill Rammell: Qatar faces a terrorist threat from al-Qaeda and associated groups, like other countries in the region and elsewhere. It has played a constructive role in the international co-operative effort against terrorism and we have a regular dialogue with the Qatari government on the subject. Our policy is not to make public the details of such dialogue.

Arms Exports

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which countries Ministers in his Department conducted arms promotion activities in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 to date; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: pursuant to his answer, 14 July 2003, Official Report, c. 48W
	I regret that an administrative error led to an omission in my answer of 14 July 2003 to the right hon. Member. The correct answer should read as follows:
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers regularly conduct overseas visits in the course of which they promote British exports, including those of defence equipment.
	For 2002, our records indicate that Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers carried out such promotion activities in Chile, Hungary, India and Singapore; and in 2003 to date, Singapore. In 2002, Ministers also carried out promotion in relation to exports to the Czech Republic, but while in the UK. In 2003, ministerial promotion also took place in relation to exports to India, but while the Minister was in the UK. Negotiations for defence exports may extend over many years and may often be raised informally in the margins of other meetings.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 18 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Shasta Parveen.

Chris Mullin: I regret that as a result of a series of administrative errors, no reply was sent to my right hon. Friend to his letter of 18 September to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. The Foreign Secretary will write to him in the next few days on this case.

Human Trafficking

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of the United Arab Emirates on trafficking in human beings.

Denis MacShane: The Government of the United Arab Emirates is taking action against trafficking. But we remain concerned about the use of young boys as camel jockeys. In July 2002 the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs announced a ban on the use of camel jockeys under the age of 15. We welcomed this announcement, but there are reports that legislation is not always enforced. Visiting UK Ministers and our embassy staff at Abu Dhabi have raised our concerns with the UAE authorities and we will continue to press the UAE authorities to implement the ban fully.

Iceland

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Iceland about its decision to resume whaling.

Denis MacShane: On 8 August, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Ben Bradshaw), issued a press statement expressing serious concern at the announcement by Iceland on 6 August that it intended to carry out lethal scientific whaling. On 10 September, the British Ambassador in Reykjavik, together with representatives from France, Germany, Sweden and the United States, handed the Icelandic Government a demarche, signed by the United Kingdom and 22 other countries, stating that the killing was unjustified and unnecessary. The UK will continue, along with other countries, to urge Iceland to reconsider its position.

Indonesia

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent progress with the investigation into the deaths of Brian Peters and Malcolm Rennie in Indonesia.

Mike O'Brien: I am not aware of any recent progress in the investigation into the deaths of Brian Peters and Malcolm Rennie at Balibo in 1975, but I have recently written to the Special Representative of the Secretary General in East Timor, Kamalesh Sharma, to ask for an update. I am informed that the UN Serious Crimes Unit are unable to advance their investigation due to Indonesia's reluctance to co-operate with the investigation.

Iranian Refugees

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the well-being of (a) Mr. Jamil Bassam and (b) Mr. Ebrahim Khodabandeh, the Iranians with refugee status in the United Kingdom arrested in Syria and handed over to the Iranian authorities; what representations he has made to the (i) Syrian and (ii) Iranian authorities on this matter; where the men are being held; and when they were last visited by (A) relatives, (B) Foreign Office officials and (C) the Red Cross.

Bill Rammell: Jamil Bassam and Ebrahim Khodabandeh are not British nationals, so the UK has no legal right to offer consular assistance. After the two men were detained in Syria, our embassy in Damascus repeatedly asked the Syrian authorities for information, but the Syrian authorities did not respond to any of the embassy's four formal notes. Our embassy in Tehran has made it clear to the Iranian Government that we are taking a keen interest in the human rights of these two men. On 5 August Iranian authorities told our embassy that Mr. Bassam and Mr. Khodabandeh were well, that they continued to be held during investigations and that the Iranian judicial authorities had noted our call for due process. We are not aware of contact between the two men and their families. We have urged the Iranian Government on a number of occasions to allow a visit by the International Committee of the Red Cross. We are not aware that one has taken place.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been received by his Department about the proposed demolition by the Israeli authorities of the Shawamreh home in Anata in the West Bank; and what representations he has made to Israel on the issue.

Bill Rammell: We have received representations about this specific case. We deplore the seizure of Palestinian land and the destruction of property in the Occupied Territories by Israel and have called upon the Government of Israel to stop these actions which undermine their commitment to the roadmap. The seizure of land and the destruction of property is provocative, increasing tension and mistrust, and making a comprehensive settlement more difficult to achieve.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for (a) the implementation of UN Resolutions on Israel and Palestine and (b) for Israel's obligations as an occupying power under the Geneva Conventions, of the military order issued by Israel on 2 October 2003 declaring land in the Occupied West Bank between the security fence and Israel's preoccupation 1967 border as a closed zone; and what action the UK Government intend to take.

Bill Rammell: The implementation of this Israeli military order will have grave consequences for those Palestinians who live between the fence and the 1967 border and those who farm land in this area. It reinforces the concern that Israeli construction of the fence on occupied land amounts to de facto annexation of Palestinian land west of the fence, and prejudges the outcome of a final settlement based on UN Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 1397 (2002).
	Under Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Occupying Power is only permitted to evacuate a given area of the occupied territory:
	"if the security of the population or imperative military reasons so demand".
	We expect Israel to comply fully with this obligation.
	My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean has raised with the Israeli Ambassador our concerns about this and other Israeli activities affecting the humanitarian situation of Palestinians. We are in close touch with the US and other allies to ensure that Israel understands the opposition of the wider international community to the route of the fence.

Nepal

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress on human rights in Nepal.

Denis MacShane: We remain seriously concerned about continued violations of human rights by both the Nepalese security forces and the Maoist insurgents.
	There has been some encouraging progress this year, in particular during the ceasefire which held from January to August. We welcomed, for example, the formation of a Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) human rights cell to monitor and investigate reported human rights violations, and the first ever courts martial for human rights abuses. Reports of violations on both sides went down during the ceasefire.
	Regrettably, however, credible reports of human rights violations have continued to be received, and have increased since the ceasefire broke down. These reports implicate the security forces in serious abuses such as illegal detentions, torture, disappearances, and summary executions (the Ramechhap incident as reported by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is a particular example), and point to a residual culture of impunity in some elements in the security forces. We are pressing hard for these matters to be investigated thoroughly and for those responsible to be held to account. There is also clear evidence of Maoist abuses, including public torture and executions.
	The UK is actively involved in encouraging greater respect for human rights, including through political pressure; human rights training for the security forces; and support for the National Human Rights Commission, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and civil society. A human rights Code of Conduct applicable to both sides would be a key element in any resumed peace process.

Nepal

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether Nepal is a safe country for the return of refugees.

Denis MacShane: Asylum applications from Nepal—as with other countries—are considered on their individual merits in accordance with the United Kingdom's obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. In reaching decisions on individual cases, the Home Office—the Department responsible for considering these applications—takes full account of objective country information about the situation in Nepal. This would include information regularly provided by officials. An individual recognised as a genuine refugee from Nepal would not be made to return.

Passports

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much a passport cost in each year from 1997.

Chris Mullin: The fee for a standard adult passport issued by a British diplomatic mission in each of the years from 1997 is as in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997 to 25 March 1998 18.00 
			 26 March 1998 to 11 April 1999 31.00 
			 12 April 1999 to 15 December 1999 43.00 
			 16 December 1999 to 20 November 2002 49.00 
			 2 November 2002 to 1 October 2003 54.40 
			 2 October 2003 to present 56.50

Sri Lanka

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 16 October 2003, Official Report, column 334W, on Sri Lanka, if he will list the non-governmental organisations whose representatives he met in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: My hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Mike O'Brien) visited Colombo in January of this year. During his visit he met with representatives from international and national non-governmental organisations including the World Bank, UNICEF, UNHCR, United Nations Development Programme, the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Sri Lanka First and the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.

West Bank/Gaza Strip

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 16 October 2003, Official Report, columns 336–37W, when he last had discussions with representatives of the Government of Israel concerning demolitions and destruction of infrastructure in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; what (a) explanations and (b) assurances were offered by Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has urged Israel to improve the humanitarian situation throughout the Occupied Territories in his contacts with Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. My Noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean expressed the Government's serious concerns about the demolition of Palestinian property in a meeting with Israel's ambassador, Zvi Shtauber, on 22 October. In previous discussions with representatives of the Government of Israel on this issue, security concerns have been cited for military operations conducted in the Occupied Territories which have resulted in the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure. Israel has in the past undertaken to ensure such operations have a minimal impact on the Palestinian population. We recognise the Israeli authorities have a legitimate right of self defence against terrorist attacks, but we continue to urge them to ensure their response to the threat is proportionate.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Learning

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research he has commissioned into communities which are under-represented in participation in adult learning.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has not commissioned research on geographical communities but has a number of research studies underway or recently completed that examine groups which are under-represented in adult learning.
	Adult learning participation has been regularly researched through the National Adult Learning Survey of over 6,000 adults in England and Wales. The results from the most recent survey in 2002 were published by the Department in April this year. They include analysis of the barriers to learning that people face as well as their learning patterns and attitudes. A longitudinal follow-up to a sub sample of the respondents to the 2001 survey, called Pathways in Adult Learning 2003, will be published in spring 2004.
	A tracking survey of 2,000 learners who have participated in Adult and Community Learning is also underway. The research will analyse the characteristics and motivations of those who participate in such learning, and the longer term outcomes. The first sweep is underway, and results will be published in spring 2004.
	The Department has commissioned evaluations of policies that help those under-represented in learning. The Adult and Community Learning Fund, set up in 1998 to support local community based adult learning, has regularly been evaluated. The most recent evaluation was published by the National Foundation for Educational Research in July 2002.
	Adult Guidance Pilots, which ran until March 2003, provided advice and guidance on learning and work opportunities to people facing particularly difficult barriers, such as those with low or basic skills, ex-offenders and refugees. The results of the evaluation will be published early in 2004.

Adult Learning

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what arrangement he will make to monitor and develop the public strategy for widening adult educational participation.

Ivan Lewis: We will be monitoring and developing public strategy for widening adult educational participation through the implementation of the commitments set out in the White Paper 21st Century Skills, Realising Our Potential. In particular the new Skills Alliance of key Government Departments, economic partners and key delivery agencies is driving forward the Skills Strategy delivery plan. This includes work on the Learning and Skills Council's strategy, Successful Participation for All: Widening Adult Participation.

Adult Learning

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking in conjunction with other Government departments and public bodies to support the Learning and Skills Council's strategy for widening adult participation.

Ivan Lewis: The Government fully supports the Learning and Skills Council's recently published strategy, Successful Participation for All: Widening Adult Participation. It has an important role to play in implementing the Skills Strategy. My Department is represented on the LSC's Widening Adult Participation Implementation Group along with representatives from Further Education Colleges, Local Authorities and other providers. The LSC is maintaining and developing partnerships with a wide range of Government Departments and Public Bodies in order to realise its long term vision for widening adult participation.

Beacon Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have become beacon schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The Beacon Programme was introduced in September 1998. The programme started with 75 schools, increasing to almost 1,150 schools in six subsequent expansion phases by September 2002. A detailed breakdown, including the 120 schools which are no longer in the Beacon Programme, has been placed in the Library.

Beacon Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have lost beacon status in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: 120 schools have left the Beacon Programme since it started in September 1998. 57 of these transferred to the Leading Edge Partnership Programme. A detailed breakdown has been placed in the Library.

Foundation Degrees

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost is of the current advertising campaign for foundation degrees.

Alan Johnson: The current Foundation Degree advertising campaign commenced August 2003 and will run until end March 2004 at a total cost of £2,800,000. This figure includes extensive national press, targeted trade and business press and on-line advertising. Of the total figure, £850,000 is for a national press and local radio campaign planned for the new year.

GCSE

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils in Lancashire passed five or more GCSEs at grades A-C in each year since 1992.

David Miliband: The percentage of pupils who achieved 5 or more grades A*-C at GCSE/GNVQ in Lancashire Local Education Authority since 1992 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Academic year Percentage of 15 year olds achieving five or more grades A*-C GCSE/GNVQ 
		
		
			 1992 36.5 
			 1993 39.4 
			 1994 41.1 
			 1995 41.7 
			 1996 42.6 
			 1997 43.8 
			 1998 47.0 
			 1999 48.0 
			 2000 49.6 
			 2001 50.1 
			 2002 51.7 
			 2003(14) 52.9 
		
	
	(14) Provisional
	The figures prior to 1998 are not directly comparable with the later years because of the local government reorganisation that took place in 1998.

Higher Education Teachers' Pay

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has, in conjunction with the Higher Education Funding Council for England, to change the formula for payments for teaching by higher education institutions; and what representations he has received about the transition to any new formula and therefrom to a future regime permitting top-up fees.

Alan Johnson: The Higher Education Funding Council for England is consulting the higher education sector on proposed changes to its funding method for teaching for 2004–05. The deadline for responses is 14 November. The consultation document "Developing the funding method for teaching from 2003–05" is available on the HEFCE website at http://www.hefce. ac.uk/Pubs/hefce/2003/03 427.

Learning Communities

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on progress in developing a strategy for learning communities.

Ivan Lewis: Good progress has been made on developing the Learning Communities strategy. A community workshop has been held with front line practitioners. A project board is being established and the scoping document has been sent out to all relevant parties. Over the next few months officials will be working with Government Offices and key stakeholders to work up proposals for their regions. Testbeds will commence in April 2004

Modern Apprenticeships

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the level of participation of young school leavers in modern apprenticeships was in the last five years; and what percentage of the cohorts it represented.

Ivan Lewis: Participation data are collected in line with the Public Service Agreement (PSA) for modern apprenticeships which states that "By 2004, at least 28 per cent. of young people to start a Modern Apprenticeship by age 22". The technical note for this target clarifies this to mean first-time entrants to Foundation or Advanced Modern Apprenticeships by those aged 16 to 21. The outturn will be starts, defined above, during the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) academic year 2004/5 expressed as a proportion of the most recent population estimate for that cohort from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Data disaggregated into age cohorts are not routinely available.
	While Modern Apprenticeships have a longer history, fit for purpose data for the PSA target have been compiled only since 2001/2:
	
		
			  2001–2 2002–3 
		
		
			 Modern Apprenticeship starts(percentage) 137,000(15)(22.8 percent.) (16)144,900(15)(23.9 per cent.) 
		
	
	(15) Proportion calculated using ONS population estimates DME50 Table 4
	(16) Data for 2002/3 outturn is provisional; due to be finalised by the LSC in January 2004

Modern Language Teaching

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers were in training specialising in a modern language, in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The following table shows the number of entrants to initial teacher training courses in secondary modern foreign languages since 1998/99.
	
		
			  Postgraduate Undergraduate Total 
		
		
			 1998/99 1,606 51 1,657 
			 1999/2000 1,431 38 1,469 
			 2000/01 1,610 23 1,633 
			 2001/02 1,689 16 1,705 
			 2002/03 1,725 7 1,732 
			 2003/04(17) n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	Note:
	The data shown above excludes trainees on the Fast Track scheme in 2001/02 and employment based teacher training.
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency

Nuclear and Chemical Engineering Graduates

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many graduations in (a) nuclear and (b) chemical engineering there were in each year since 1990.

Alan Johnson: Figures for nuclear engineering are not held centrally.
	The available information covering chemical engineering is in the table. Figures for 1993/94 and earlier years are not held centrally on a comparable basis.
	
		First degree chemical engineering graduates from UK institutions
		
			 Academic year Number of graduations 
		
		
			 2001/02 936 
			 2000/01 980 
			 1999/2000 1,046 
			 1998/99 1,123 
			 1997/98 1,116 
			 1996/97 1,189 
			 1995/96 1,221 
			 1994/95 1,212 
		
	
	Sources:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency

Phonics Teaching Methods

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will carry out a meta-analysis of the relative effectiveness of (a) analytic and (b) synthetic phonics teaching methods.

David Miliband: The phonics seminar which the Department held in March 2003 and Professor Greg Brooks' report, published in August, have made a very significant contribution towards ensuring a clearer understanding of the research on phonics and its implications for the National Literacy Strategy. The Department is considering Professor Brooks' recommendations for additional research, which will be assessed against other research priorities.

School Bus Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many education authorities operate school bus services for pupils other than those with special needs.

Charles Clarke: We do not collect information about local education authority bus operations.

School Bus Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils in each education authority are provided with a special school bus service; and at what cost.

Charles Clarke: We do not collect information on the percentage of pupils receiving transport to special schools. In 2001/02 total LEA expenditure on home to school transport was £561 million. Of that figure, £254 million (45 per cent.) was spent on transporting children to special schools.

School Performance

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is his policy to reduce the size of schools that perform to an above-average standard.

David Miliband: The Secretary of State does not decide the size of schools. To reduce the number of places at a school, the admission authority (the local education authority for community and voluntary controlled schools, the governing body for foundation and voluntary aided schools) would have to change the school's admission arrangements, after the required consultation, so as to include a lower admission number. Other local schools or neighbouring local education authorities could object to the Schools Adjudicator if they disagreed with the new lower number. So could 10 or more local parents, if the new number is below the school's measured capacity.
	Our guidance to local decision-makers on changes to school organisation makes it clear that blanket assumptions should not be made about the optimum size of a school; and that the priority must be to secure the highest standards.

School Trips (Funding)

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what weight is given to the costs of funding school trips for schools in deprived areas when the Department calculates school budgets;
	(2)  whether there are (a) national and (b) local distributors of funds for schools in deprived areas seeking funding for school trips;
	(3)  what resources are allocated to schools in areas of high deprivation to ensure that they are able to comply with his Department's guidelines on allowing children in receipt of free school meals to attend school trips.

David Miliband: The Education Funding Formula does not include a factor to specifically take account of the cost of funding school trips for schools in deprived areas. It does include a factor to take account of the extra costs of educating deprived pupils. The factor uses data on families in receipt of Income Support and the Working Families Tax Credit.
	I am not aware of any national or local distributors of funds for schools in deprived areas seeking funding for school trips.
	It is for a school's governing body to decide on the allocation of resources for school trips from the school's budget share. Regulations require that all local education authorities distribute some funding on the basis of social deprivation.

Skills Strategies

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on progress on the alignment of national, local and sectored skills strategies.

Ivan Lewis: The Skills Strategy "21st Century Skills—Realising our Potential", published on 9 July 2003, set a long-term agenda through to 2010. Central to the success of the strategy is ensuring that implementation is achieved in a sustained and coherent way. We have formed a national Skills Alliance, bringing together the key Government Departments with employer and union representatives and the key delivery agencies to drive forward the Skills Strategy delivery plan. At the first meeting on 14 October, the Skills Alliance agreed its terms of reference and began to identify its priorities and a forward agenda to end 2004. The members decided that its focus would be on strategic issues; monitoring progress; delivery on the ground; and ensuring collaboration between the key agencies. The Alliance intends to report on progress annually.
	Specific approaches include Sector Skills Agreements, which will be designed and delivered in collaboration with the national and local Learning and Skills Councils and Regional Development Agencies to ensure that there is a coherent response to sector needs nationally, regionally and locally. We have also asked Regional Development Agencies to work with key partners, including LSCs, Jobcentre Plus and Small Business Service taking account of the needs of sectors. Together, in consultation with a wide range of other partners, they will develop proposals to establish partnerships which will ensure that employment, skills and business support priorities are addressed in an integrated way. We expect the first regional skills partnerships to be in place from April 2004.

Soft Key Skills

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made in formulating viable measures for the attainment by pupils of soft key skills.

David Miliband: The current national specifications for the key skills of Working with Others, Problem Solving and Improving Own Learning and Performance have been in use since September 2000.

Specialist Schools

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many specialist schools have failed to have their status renewed.

David Miliband: Since the Specialist Schools Programme began in 1997 some 39 specialist schools have failed to have their status renewed.

Student Complaints Adjudicator

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the appointment of an independent Student Complaints Adjudicator and the establishment of an office to service this function.

Alan Johnson: The higher education sector has established the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) to consider cases which students have been unable to resolve within their higher education institutions. The OIA was incorporated as a company on 7 July 2003. The Board of Directors have appointed Dame Ruth Deech as the Independent Adjudicator and Michael Reddy as Deputy Adjudicator and are currently in the process of recruiting other staff, establishing the office and setting up systems. The OIA expects to be able to receive cases early in 2004. The Government fully supports the higher education sector in providing students with a fair, open and transparent means of redress when things go wrong.

Thameside College

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects the Learning and Skills Council inquiry into Thameside College to be completed; if he will make a statement on the outcome when it is completed; and what financial provision he has made to deal with its outcome.

Alan Johnson: The Secretary of State for Education and Skills has received a formal complaint alleging breaches of corporate governance and management and financial irregularities at Thameside College. An investigation into these allegations has been completed. The report of the investigation is now being written and will be considered and decisions based on its findings made when it is received. The findings of the investigation and decisions taken will determine whether a statement is made. Any financial implications resulting from the investigation and decisions will be dealt with by the Learning and Skills Council.

Tuition Fees

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether 100 per cent. of the tuition fee will be paid to higher education institutions in the academic year for which it is charged.

Alan Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 20 October 2003, Official Report, column 438W, where I stated that the Government will pay the tuition fee to the higher education institution during the academic year for which it is charged.

University Funding

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportions of income from university top-up fees are expected to fund (a) postgraduate research and (b) undergraduate teaching.

Alan Johnson: These will be matters for Higher Education Institutions to decide for themselves.

University Medical Schools

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2003, Official Report, column 502W, on university medical schools, to the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison), if he will identify the sum for additional funding by each university.

Alan Johnson: No. The sum referred to was allocated by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) which does not, as a matter of policy, publish sensitive student data at course level for individual institutions.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Liability Insurance (Companies)

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action he is taking to prevent companies from trading without appropriate liability insurance; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: Although compliance levels remain high, all non-compliance is serious. Uninsured companies reduce the compensation available to their employees; transfer the cost of accidents to the taxpayer; and have an unlawful competitive advantage over their legitimate competitors.
	The Department is taking a number of actions to re-inforce compliance in the second stage of its review of Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI). These include developing an enforcement database and issuing supplementary guidance on procurement in the public sector to make the confirmation of contractor and subcontractor compliance a more explicit part of the tendering process.
	We will report in Autumn on the progress that has been made and any further steps we intend to take.

Liability Insurance (Companies)

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) companies and (b) individuals have been prosecuted for trading without appropriate liability insurance in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Des Browne: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for enforcing Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI).
	Over the past five years HSE has prosecuted 18 individuals, 14 companies and 2 partnerships for trading without liability insurance. The breakdown for each operational year is as follows:
	
		
			  Individuals Companies Partnerships  
		
		
			 1998–99 0 1 0  
			 1999–2000 4 0 0  
			 2000–01 4 0 0  
			 2001–02 4 6 2  
			 2002–03 5 4 0  
			 Total 17 11 02 Grand Total=30 
		
	
	For the period 1 April to 30 September 2003 the breakdown is as follows:
	
		
			 Individuals Companies Partnerships 
		
		
			 1 3 0

Asbestos Surveyors

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many asbestos surveyors are registered in the United Kingdom.

Des Browne: The United Kingdom Accreditation Service has accredited 50 organisations that carry out inspections for asbestos in buildings. A further 40 organisations have applied for accreditation. Only the number of organisations accredited is known not the number of asbestos inspectors they employ.

Council Tax Benefit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the tenure status of pensioners who are entitled to council tax benefit but do not receive it.

Chris Pond: Council Tax Benefit is administered by over 400 local authorities, each of which is required by legislation to take appropriate steps to ensure that people with a potential entitlement to Council Tax Benefit are made aware of the help available.
	Information is also contained in leaflet GL17 "Help with your Council Tax Benefit" as well as various other information leaflets and posters produced by the Department.
	The information is in the table.
	
		Estimated tenure status of pensioners entitled to but not in receipt of Council Tax Benefit in 2000–01 -- Benefits Estimates of Take-Up
		
			 Tenure type Proportion (per cent.) 
		
		
			 Local Authority tenants 11 
			 Private renters 14 
			 Owner-occupiers 75 
			 Total 100 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. "Private renters" includes pensioners renting accommodation from Registered Social Landlords.
	2. Estimates cover the pensioners in the private household population of Great Britain. The data source is the Family Resources Survey.
	3. A pensioner is defined as either a single person aged at least 60 years old or, if a couple, both will be termed pensioners if one is aged at least 60 years old.
	4. This analysis should be treated with caution as there are possible sources of error, such as misidentification in modelling entitlement to Council Tax Benefit, misreporting of benefit receipt, and inaccuracies in grossing-up estimates from sample data which have not been corrected for.
	Source
	Data underlying the statistics presented in the DWP series "Income Related Benefits Estimates of TakepUP".

Health and Safety Executive

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was to the Health and Safety Executive in 2002–03 of employing casual staff, broken down by region; and when this practice will be terminated and only permanent staff employed.

Des Browne: During 2002–03, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) employed both casual and agency staff. We do not have details of the costs broken down by specific regions. The costs shown are the only breakdown available. A further breakdown could be made available only at disproportionate costs.
	
		
			  Annual costs by region (£) 
		
		
			 Agency staff  
			 Bootle 660,844 
			 London 418,180 
			 Nationally 817,514 
			 Sub total 1,896,538 
			   
			 Casual staff  
			 Bootle 35,784 
			 London 37,059 
			 Nationally 18,288 
			 Sub total 91,131 
			 Agency and casual staff total 1,987,669 
		
	
	HSE has no plans to end the practice of using temporary staff. These contracts provide essential short-term cover for such events as maternity/sick cover, projects or gaps prior to recruitment. The use of temporary staff is carefully monitored to ensure that these are used only in appropriate circumstances.

Health and Safety Executive

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the basis is of his policy that the Field Operations Division of the Health and Safety Executive no longer visit companies where an adverse insurance report indicating defects in plant and equipment has been received.

Des Browne: The Field Operations Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive has never had a policy to visit companies where an adverse inspection report has been received. Until recently they had an administrative procedure to write to companies asking them to confirm that action had been taken. This procedure, which involved 10 full time staff equivalents, added little or no value as companies had almost invariably acted on the report. The procedure was stopped in April 2003 and the administrative staff time applied to work more directly supporting inspectors.

Insurance Premiums

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to require, as part of Employers Liability Compulsory Insurance, main contractors to bear responsibility for any subcontractors that they employ.

Des Browne: For the overwhelming majority of employers it is a legal requirement to have Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI).
	In support of this, model conditions of contract in guidance on procurement in the public sector expect contractors to comply with the requirement to have (ELCI) and provide that contractors shall be responsible for the acts and omissions of their sub-contractors as though they were their own.
	However the Government intends to issue supplementary guidance with reference to ELCI, to make the confirmation of contractor and subcontractor compliance a more explicit part of the tendering process.
	We would encourage a similar standard in the private sector.

Insurance Premiums

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to issue guidance to the insurance industry advising that companies with proven good records in health and safety should have that reflected in lower insurance premiums.

Des Browne: The Association of British Insurers (ABI) recently announced an initiative "Making the Market Work" under which an ABI/lnsurer assessment committee will advise trade associations on their health and safety schemes taking into account best practice features that employers' liability compulsory insurance (ELCI) insurers expect to see in place.
	Government are also working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to link its 'risk profiling' tools to insurers underwriting decisions.
	These initiatives are a first step towards ensuring that insurance premiums better reflect the health and safety records of companies.

Insurance Premiums

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will include in his Department's second report into employers liability compulsory insurance a study of (a) the administrative and legal costs incurred in settling claims and (b) their impact on premiums.

Des Browne: The Department included a study of the administrative and legal costs incurred in settling claims and their impact on premiums in the First Stage Report of the Review of Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance published on 3 June 2003. A copy of this is available in the Library. The Department's second stage report to be published in the autumn will not repeat this analysis but will set out the further actions that we propose to take. A copy of this will also be placed in the Library of the House on publication.

Pensioners' Benefits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of public expenditure on the (a) winter fuel allowance, (b) free television licence and (c) Christmas bonus for pensioners in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 2002–03, (iii) 2010, (iv) 2020, (v) 2030, (vi) 2040, (vii) 2050 and (viii) for other years for which estimates have been made.

Des Browne: The information requested is in the table.
	
		Projected expenditure on winter fuel payments, free television licences for the over 75s, and Christmas bonus for pensioners -- £ million, 2003–04 prices
		
			  1997–98 2002–03 2010–11 2020–21 2030–31 2040–41 2050–51 
		
		
			 Winter fuel payments 227 1,758 1,808 1,608 1,476 1,194 962 
			 Free TV licences 0 384 469 636 903 1,231 1,477 
			 Christmas bonus for pensioners 131 113 102 81 74 62 48 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures expressed in £ million, 2003–04 prices and rounded to the nearest million.
	2. Projections are those underlying the Budget 2003 Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report, Annex A.
	3. Expenditure is for Great Britain, except free TV licences for the over 75s which is for the United Kingdom.
	4. The winter fuel payments expenditure includes expenditure on the 80+ annual payment announced in Budget 2003.
	5. Current government policy on uprating of benefits is assumed throughout.

Pensioners' Benefits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of public expenditure on public sector pensions as a percentage of gross domestic product in (a) 1997–98, (b) 2002–03, (c) 2010, (d) 2020, (e) 2030, (f) 2040, (g) 2050 and (h) for other years for which estimates have been made.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	Public expenditure on public sector pensions is measured as contributions by Government employers to funded schemes plus pension payments and other outgoings, net of employee contributions and other receipts, in the case of unfunded schemes. The Treasury has no operational need to aggregate expenditure across all public sector pension schemes.
	Public expenditure in the four major unfunded pension schemes (NHS, Teachers, Armed Forces and Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme) accounted for 1.00 per cent. of GDP in 1997–98 and provision was made in 2002–03 for net expenditure equivalent to 1.03 per cent. of GDP. Final figures for 2002–03 will only be available when resource accounts are published.
	To help inform the illustrative long-term fiscal projections, estimates are being made of likely future expenditure on public service unfunded pensions under a variety of scenarios. We will consider how far it would be meaningful to disaggregate these projections into different components given the critical dependence of estimates on the assumptions made.

State Pension

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his Answer of 15 July 2003, Official Report, column 252W, on the state pension, if he will calculate the figures on the assumption that earnings growth exceeded price inflation by 1.5 per cent. in each of the six years in question.

Des Browne: The information requested is in the tables.
	
		Table 1: The gross cost of uprating the basic State Pension by 1.5 per cent. above inflation from April 2004 -- £ billion
		
			  2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 
		
		
			 All pensioners 0.9 1.3 1.9 2.6 3.3 4.0 
			 Pensioners aged 65 and over 0.7 1.0 1.4 1.8 2.3 2.8 
			 Pensioners aged 70 and above 0.6 0.9 1.2 1.7 2.1 2.5 
			 Pensioners aged 75 and above 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.1 1.4 1.7 
			 Pensioners aged 80 and over 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.8 1.0 
		
	
	
		Table 2: The net cost of uprating the basic State Pension by 1.5 per cent. above inflation from April 2004 -- £ billion
		
			  2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 
		
		
			 All pensioners 0.7 1.0 1.4 1.8 2.3 2.8 
			 Pensioners aged 65 and over 0.5 0.7 1.0 1.3 1.6 2.0 
			 Pensioners aged 70 and over 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.1 1.4 1.7 
			 Pensioners aged 75 and over 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.1 
			 Pensioners aged 80 and over 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All costs are rounded to the nearest £100 million and are in 2003–04 price terms.
	2. Gross costs are calculated by the Government Actuary's Department and are consistent with Budget 2003 assumptions.
	3. The net costs are calculated using the DWP Policy Simulation Model for 2005–06. The net cost represents the cost after allowing for any offsetting savings in income-related benefits.
	4. It is assumed that the start of the Savings Credit is increased to the value of the earnings linked basic State Pension.

State Pension

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 15 July 2003, Official Report, column 252W, on the state pension, what allowance was made for the non take-up of means-tested benefits in each of the six years in question.

Des Browne: The net costs of earnings uprating are calculated using the Department's Policy Simulation Model. The model takes account of the take-up of benefits and its results are consistent with the Department's forecasts for benefit expenditure and case loads for 2004–05 and 2005–06. In calculating costs for years after 2005–06 no change to levels of take-up is modelled.

State Pension

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 15 July, Official Report, column 252W, on the state pension, what assumption has been made in each of the six years in question for the amount by which earnings growth exceeds price inflation.

Des Browne: The previous answer was consistent with economic assumptions underpinning the 2003 budget. Medium and Long-term projections as published in the 2003 budget, forecast real earnings growth at 2 per cent.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Judges (Appeals)

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what action the Secretary of State takes against judges who are successfully appealed against in relation to (a) sentence and (b) conviction significantly more often than the norm.

Christopher Leslie: Judges are accountable for their judicial decisions via the appeal system. A successful appeal to a higher court does not of itself provide a basis for criticism of a trial judge. Where the Court of Appeal does record criticism of the trial judge, the judgment is always sent to the judge concerned, and where there is any reason for concern about the conduct of the judge, it is sent to the presiding judges. From time to time where judges are not performing adequately, they may be given advice and guidance, or training, or different workloads or types of workload by the responsible senior judiciary.
	In cases where the judge's conduct is seriously impugned, the presiding judges will refer the matter to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State, and the Lord Chief Justice to consider complaints about conduct.

Legal Aid

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assistance has been offered by the Legal Aid Board to Mr. Liam Campbell and Mr. Michael McKevitt.

David Lammy: The Legal Aid Committee of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, which has statutory responsibility for the administration of civil legal aid in Northern Ireland, has indicated that under Article 24 of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, it is prohibited from giving information about individual cases.

Matrimonial/Family Court Orders

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will ask the Law Commission to review the law on variation of matrimonial and family court orders.

David Lammy: Under the current law, the courts are empowered to vary orders made in family proceedings in appropriate circumstances. I do not propose to ask the Law Commission to undertake such a review at the present time.

Small Claims Courts

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how long the average waiting time has been for hearing small claims in the small claims court which serves the Teesside area in the last six months.

Christopher Leslie: Under the Department's Public Service Agreement with HM Treasury, the average waiting time for a small claim is measured from allocation to the small claim track to the disposal hearing and should be no more than 15 weeks. There are 12 county courts within the Tyne-Tees group that conduct small claims hearings, and in the period April to September 2003, the group's average was 9.7 weeks.

Small Claims Courts

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what proportion of (a) claimants and (b) defendants was legally represented at any stage of actions in the small claims court in the last three years.

Christopher Leslie: Figures relating to the representation status of each party in a small claims case are only available for the final hearing stage. The percentage of parties represented by a solicitor at this stage are provided in the table.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  For claimant For defendant Total smallclaims hearings 
		
		
			 2002 42.7 33.2 55,719 
			 2001 50.9 39.1 58,333 
			 2000 48.7 35.1 55,836

Small Claims Courts

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many claims the small claims court for the Teesside sub-region determined in each of the last three years.

Christopher Leslie: There are 12 county courts within the Tyne-Tees group that conduct small claims hearings. During 2002, the number of small claims disposed of by way of a hearing throughout the group was 1,146. In 2001, this figure was 1,572, and in 2000, it was 1,208.

Small Claims Courts

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average cost per claim to claimants has been of pursuing a claim in the small claims court in the last five years.

Christopher Leslie: Claimants pay a fee on issue of proceedings. A small proportion will pay a fee on allocation to track (principally defended claims). Taking both fees into account, the average paid in fees on small claims (up to £5,000) issued in county courts was, over the last five years:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999 57.50 
			 2000 63.33 
			 2001 63.33 
			 2002 63.33 
			 2003 61.83 
		
	
	Some claimants (on small and large claims) will additionally seek specific orders during the course of proceedings and some of those who have obtained judgment will issue enforcement proceedings. In both cases, further fees will be payable. It is not possible to attribute these extra fees to the average payable on small claims, specifically.

Small Claims Courts

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many claims were dealt with by the small claims court in England and Wales in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03.

Christopher Leslie: During 2000–01, the number of small claims disposed of by way of a hearing was 58,730. In 2001–02, this figure was 54,742, and in 2002–03, it was 56,988.

Small Claims Courts

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average time has been from filing a claim to a hearing date in the small claims court in each of the last five years.

Christopher Leslie: The figures asked for are provided in the table.
	
		
			  Average waiting time (weeks) 
		
		
			 2002 31 
			 2001 28 
			 2000 29 
			 1999 26 
			 1998 24

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Small Businesses

Mark Prisk: To ask the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the effect of section 8 of the Local Government Act 2003 on the competitiveness of small businesses.

Nick Raynsford: Section 8 of the Local Government Act 2003 will have no effect on the competitiveness of small business. It forms part of the new local government capital finance system allowing local authorities to use borrowing and credit without Government consent, where they can afford to do so without extra Government support.

Community Regeneration

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures the Government has introduced to help disadvantaged communities regenerate themselves.

Yvette Cooper: The Government helps communities regenerate themselves through strategies such as the Communities Plan and the Neighbourhood Renewal strategy; which include additional support for programmes such as the Market Renewal pathfinders (new funding of £500 million) and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (£975 million over the next two years). For the longer term the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is supporting community participation and effective public service improvement in the most disadvantaged communities.

East Midlands Regional Assembly

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how much the East Midlands Regional Assembly has spent on legal advice since it was established (a) in total and (b) on its incorporation;
	(2)  if he will list (a) public relations and communications companies, (b) advertising and marketing companies, (c) management consultancies, (d) accountancy companies, (e) banking firms, (f) individual consultants and (g) other specialist consultancies used by the East Midlands Regional Assembly since June 2001; what services were provided in each case; and what the cost was in each case;
	(3)  how many equivalent full-time employees were employed in the East Midlands Regional Assembly (a) when it was established and (b) on 1 May;
	(4)  how many publications have been issued by the East Midlands Regional Assembly in each year since its establishment; and what the cost was in each case;
	(5)  how many conferences have been organised by the East Midlands Regional Assembly in each year since it was established; and what the cost was in each case;
	(6)  many research projects the East Midlands Regional Assembly (a) planned to commission and (b) commissioned in 2002–03; and what the rationale of each project was;
	(7)  how many conferences staff of the East Midlands Regional Assembly have attended since the Assembly was established; what the (a) cost and (b) purpose was in each case; and how many were overseas conferences.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The East Midlands Regional Assembly is a voluntary body which receives Government grant. The details of its expenditure is a matter for the Assembly.

East Midlands Regional Assembly

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department has given to the East Midlands Regional Assembly on its incorporation.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not given the East Midlands Regional Assembly any guidance on incorporation.

East Midlands Regional Assembly

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers his Department has in relation to the operations of the East Midlands Regional Assembly.

Nick Raynsford: The East Midlands Regional Assembly is a voluntary body. The only locus the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has is in terms of checking that the assembly's membership is representative of the region, for the purposes of designation and in terms of the funding agreement about its use of Government grant.

East Midlands Regional Assembly

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the statutes which govern the operation of the East Midlands Regional Assembly.

Nick Raynsford: The East Midlands Regional Assembly is a voluntary body and is not governed by statute.

East Midlands Regional Assembly

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what position Mr. Simon Brian holds within the East Midlands Regional Assembly.

Nick Raynsford: Mr. Simon Brian is East Midlands Regional Assembly's Communications Manager.

East Midlands Regional Assembly

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which organisation audits the accounts of the East Midlands Regional Assembly.

Nick Raynsford: Newby Castleman of 22 Park Road, Melton Mowbray, LE13 1TT.

Hazardous Waste

Theresa May: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what responsibilities local authorities have in relation to the (a) movement of hazardous waste and (b) identification of material contained in landfill sites.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	Local authorities have no regulatory responsibilities regarding the movements of hazardous waste unless they are directly involved in the production, collection or processing of the waste in question. Movements of hazardous waste in Great Britain are controlled by the Special Waste Regulations 1996 and enforced by the Environment Agency. The Regulations require that hazardous waste be monitored from the moment it is discarded until it reaches its final point of treatment, disposal or recovery. The Environment Agency is the regulatory authority for controlling landfill sites and local authorities have no role in regulating licensed or permitted sites. However, under contaminated land legislation, local authorities do become responsible for closed landfill sites in certain circumstances.

London Boroughs (Council Tax)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much council tax was collected in each year in the London boroughs since 1996.

Nick Raynsford: The table shows the amounts of council tax collected in each London borough and the City of London, irrespective of the financial year to which they relate, in each year from 1995-96 to 2002-03.
	
		Amounts of council tax collected(17) -- £ million
		
			  1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Inner London 
			 City of London 1,331 1,417 1,571 1,830 2,091 2,280 2,551 2,644 
			 Camden 37,056 43,630 50,506 58,740 60,660 60,840 65,780 69,600 
			 Greenwich 29,234 36,751 42,630 46,802 48,267 50,108 52,074 56,861 
			 Hackney 20,781 23,071 26,801 26,618 27,787 29,625 36,716 44,568 
			 Hammersmith & Fulham 30,740 35,882 44,846 47,912 50,515 53,881 57,654 58,743 
			 Islington 26,040 31,335 38,133 40,736 43,349 43,783 45,786 46,640 
			 Kensington &, Chelsea 34,281 37,334 42,781 45,354 49,832 49,102 55,316 64,412 
			 Lambeth 31,512 31,924 41,908 42,931 46,740 46,401 58,396 65,919 
			 Lewisham 30,418 32,537 41,976 43,267 46,284 52,070 57,426 62,481 
			 Southwark 26,694 34,584 38,100 43,211 45,193 52,919 55,892 61,468 
			 Tower Hamlets 15,380 18,419 21,742 23,978 27,478 31,839 34,662 38,699 
			 Wandsworth 27,209 35,719 38,825 30,242 36,648 40,158 46,130 41,475 
			 Westminster 22,708 25,260 28,980 31,866 34,074 36,137 41,036 44,996 
			 Total Inner London 333,384 387,863 458,799 483,487 518,918 549,143 609,419 658,506 
			 Outer London 
			 Barking & Dagenham 17,906 19,475 22,858 25,951 27,766 30,060 32,712 34,808 
			 Barnet 62,897 68,042 75,680 83,756 87,787 97,072 103,031 108,870 
			 Bexley 38,328 40,037 44,750 49,845 55,312 58,926 64,237 69,686 
			 Brent 27,083 27,051 38,836 41,902 48,516 52,570 55,255 60,805 
			 Bromley 55,687 60,924 68,076 71,584 78,385 86,353 97,867 105,146 
			 Croydon 56,216 57,745 64,627 73,295 83,487 84,302 90,750 92,588 
			 Haling 42,784 45,009 53,922 60,563 66,164 70,814 77,710 84,178 
			 Enfield 44,005 46,958 53,461 57,529 63,150 67,115 75,117 82,041 
			 Haringey 33,226 35,330 43,165 46,422 49,023 52,552 55,531 59,516 
			 Harrow n/a 39,659 46,560 51,503 55,675 60,842 67,748 72,747 
			 Havering 39,055 42,674 49,577 54,880 59,243 66,473 72,568 79,367 
			 Hillingdon 41,846 43,968 49,477 55,678 61,194 67,696 74,588 81,231 
			 Hounslow 35,478 39,162 44,479 47,402 52,496 58,158 64,650 69,485 
			 Kingston upon Thames 28,585 30,454 33,410 36,394 42,231 47,128 52,594 58,606 
			 Merton 34,447 37,134 42,613 46,781 49,435 54,335 60,845 65,371 
			 Newham 19,112 20,040 24,894 26,810 30,400 33,,735 38,069 41,568 
			 Redbridge 37,513 39,582 45,190 49,297 55,261 59,162 64,173 69,449 
			 Richmond upon Thames 47,754 51,112 56,319 57,691 64,420 70,465 77,674 85,077 
			 Sutton 33,569 35,534 39,166 43,716 47,441 50,690 55,524 61,623 
			 Waltham Forest 32,313 36,215 44,685 44,065 46,192 49,544 53,829 57,988 
			 Total Outer London n/a 816,105 941,745 1,025,064 1,123,578 1,217,992 1,334,472 1,440,150 
			 Total Greater London n/a 1,203,968 1,400,544 1,508,551 1,642,496 1,767,135 1,943,891 2,098,656 
		
	
	(17) Irrespective of the financial year to which it relates,
	n/a = not available

London Boroughs (Council Tax)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of council tax due was collected in the London boroughs in each year since 1996.

Nick Raynsford: The following table gives the in-year council tax collection rates for each London borough and the City of London for each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03. The collection of council tax continues after the end of the financial year to which it relates. This means that the percentage of council tax ultimately collected for any financial year is greater than that shown in the table.
	
		In-year council tax collection rates(18) -- Percentage
		
			  1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Inner London
			 City of London 99.0 98.1 97.5 97.4 98.2 98.3 98.4 97.6 
			 Camden 83.7 87.7 88.5 91.1 92.3 92.7 93.5 92.7 
			 Greenwich 89.4 91.4 92.2 92.2 91.3 92.2 92.0 92.8 
			 Hackney 78.8 79.4 78.1 74.5 67.9 67.8 74.0 79.5 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 87.4 87.6 89.1 92.3 93.2 93.8 94.5 95.1 
			 Islington 80.8 83.0 88.3 88.9 90.2 90.0 91.5 88.4 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 93.2 94.9 94.9 95.2 95.6 96.0 95.6 95.6 
			 Lambeth 71.8 78.6 80.3 80.3 84.4 82.0 86.5 90.1 
			 Lewisham 81.5 84.8 90.6 90.6 92.0 93.3 93.7 93.7 
			 Southwark 83.7 84.7 81.9 81.3 80.2 87.1 90.2 92.0 
			 Tower Hamlets 87.3 87.2 86.7 88.1 88.3 89.3 90.7 91.8 
			 Wandsworth 88.6 87.9 90.9 91.4 92.8 94.0 94.5 94.8 
			 Westminster 93.6 92.6 92.6 93.7 92.9 91.8 93.0 93.5 
			 Average inner London 84.4 86.7 88.0 88.5 88.7 89.6 91.1 91.9 
			  
			 Outer London
			 Barking and Dagenham 95.4 94.9 95.0 95.3 94.7 94.0 94.5 91.8 
			 Barnet 94.4 94.7 95.1 95.3 95.6 95.8 96.2 96.2 
			 Bexley 96.4 96.2 94.5 94.2 94.9 95.4 95.7 96.0 
			 Brent 87.0 87.6 89.5 91.4 90.4 92.0 91.1 89.5 
			 Bromley 97.4 97.2 97.4 97.0 96.3 96.6 96.5 96.4 
			 Croydon 93.4 92.1 92.4 92.8 91.7 91.9 93.9 94.7 
			 Ealing 92.9 94.3 94.8 94.9 94.4 93.4 94.1 94.6 
			 Enfield 90.8 91.8 91.8 93.5 93.7 94.4 94.6 94.6 
			 Haringey 81.4 84.7 82.3 85.0 85.1 88.8 90.1 92.5 
			 Harrow n/a 96.4 96.9 96.8 96.2 98.2 98.6 97.2 
			 Havering 96.5 96.7 97.7 96.8 95.6 96.4 96.1 95.9 
			 Hillingdon 93.9 94.3 95.0 95.7 95.0 95.6 96.5 95.2 
			 Hounslow 88.8 92.7 91.9 91.4 93.4 94.0 93.9 93.8 
			 Kingston upon Thames 97.3 97.1 93.9 91.9 93.7 94.0 95.9 96.5 
			 Merton 96.9 94.4 95.5 95.1 95.2 95.7 95.6 96.5 
			 Newham 76.9 81.0 82.0 83.1 83.3 84.9 86.8 90.0 
			 Redbridge 94.7 95.6 96.1 96.1 95.7 95.5 95.7 95.7 
			 Richmond upon Thames 96.4 97.0 97.3 96.2 96.7 97.0 97.6 97.6 
			 Sutton 98.3 98.0 97.4 97.0 97.3 97.3 97.3 97.3 
			 Waltham Forest 88.9 91.5 91.8 87.8 87.7 88.0 90.6 93.0 
			 Average outer London 92.9 93.8 93.8 93.9 93.7 94.3 94.9 95.0 
			 Average Greater London 90.1 91.4 91.8 92.1 92.1 92.8 93.7 94.1 
		
	
	(18) Amount of council tax due received by the end of the financial year as a percentage of the net collectable debit for the year.
	Note:
	n/a = not available

Mining Communities (Regeneration)

Candy Atherton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much (a) funding and (b) other resources have been made available to support the regeneration of the former (i) tin mining and (ii) coal mining communities of West Cornwall in each of the last five years; and if he will list the (A) funding streams and (B) other resources available to support the regeneration of former mining communities in the UK.

Yvette Cooper: A detailed breakdown of funding and resources made available to support the regeneration of tin mining and coal mining communities in West Cornwall is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, in the past five years indicative funding for projects to assist communities generally within the Camborne, Pool, Redruth areas, which lie at the heart of the former tin mining areas of West Cornwall, by the South West Regional Development Agency is as follows:
	
		£
		
			  Indicative spend 
		
		
			 1998–99 1,816,529.00 
			 1999–2000 713,496.00 
			 2000–01 398,021.00 
			 2001–02 2,313,686.00 
			 2002–03 516,300.00 
			 2003–04 (to date) 552,767.00 
		
	
	Furthermore, the Camborne, Pool, Redruth Urban Regeneration Company was approved in September 2002 to help address deprivation, attract private sector interest and investment and secure improvements to the local environment and public realm in Camborne, Pool and Redruth. The Company—CPR Regeneration—is funded jointly by the local authority, English Partnerships and the South West Regional Development Agency.
	Two national programmes support the regeneration of the former coal mining communities. These are: (i) the National Coalfields Programme and (ii) The Coalfields Regeneration Trust. In addition, a range of national regeneration programmes provides support to all areas including former mining areas such as those controlled by the Regional Development Agencies, the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and the Housing Investment Programme.

Para-professional Staff

Joan Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with (a) local authority associations and (b) trade union representatives on national conditions of service for para-professional staff and those on term-time only contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Ministers of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have no discussions with local authority associations or trade union representatives on these issues. Pay and contractual arrangements for support staff are determined at local level.

Pensioners (Council Tax)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many pensioners pay council tax in the UK; and what estimate he has made of the total tax they pay in England.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Tim Loughton, dated 29 October 2003
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many pensioners pay council tax in the UK and for an estimate of the total tax they pay in England. (134794)
	Estimates for council taxes are based on the analysis "The effects of taxes and benefits on household income 2001–02" produced by the ONS and published on the National Statistics website on October 21st 2003. The analysis can be obtained from the House of Commons library or from the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/taxesbenefits. It includes measures of income inequality for the United Kingdom as a whole based on data from the Expenditure and Food Survey. This is a sample survey covering about 7,500 households in the UK and sample sizes for pensioner households are only sufficient to give very approximate estimates.
	Pensioner households have been defined as those where the Household Reference Person is retired or unoccupied and aged 65 or more and male, or 60 years of age or more and female, and economically inactive.
	Detailed information on the definition of the Household Reference Person can be found in Appendix D of the document at the following address:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme social/Family Spending 2001–02 revised/Family Spending revised.pdf
	Estimates for 2001–02 suggest that there were about 6 million pensioner households (single and couples) in Great Britain and that about 5 million of those paid council tax (i.e. their net council tax was greater than zero). Council tax is not paid in Northern Ireland. Net council tax is defined as gross council tax less benefits and discounts, where a household reports taking up a council tax benefit entitlement.
	The data suggests that single and couple pensioner households in England paid about 3 billion in council tax net of benefits and discounts. However, these estimates of numbers and payments will not match population data or administrative payments data because of sample size and weighting issues as well as possible inaccurate reporting by respondents.

Street Warden Scheme

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to provide funding to extend the street warden scheme to Romford.

Yvette Cooper: There are no Office of the Deputy Prime Minister funded warden schemes operating in Romford. No application was made to set up a scheme in Romford during the initial bidding round in 2001.
	At present, there are no plans for a further round of Office of the Deputy Prime Minister funding for new warden schemes beyond March 2005, however, if the constituents of Romford wish to start up a warden scheme in their area, we would suggest that funding would need to be secured from sources such as the local authority, Registered Social Landlords or from the private sector, as many other neighbourhood warden programmes have done.

Street Warden Scheme

Richard Spring: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government has to fund further street warden schemes in Suffolk.

Yvette Cooper: In the County of Suffolk, Street Warden Schemes funded by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are operating in Lowestoft, Bury St. Edmunds and Ipswich. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's funding for Street Warden Schemes is a four year programme which concludes in March 2005 and there are no plans to extend funding past this date.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is actively working with existing schemes to help them secure mainstream funding from sources such as local authorities and the private sector. Support and guidance is also being provided to areas wishing to set up schemes with their own resources.